


Where I Want To Be

by dnawhite76, Prubbs



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: A great fucking time for everyone, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Blind Date, Dick Grayson is a Cop, Double Dating, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Jason Todd owns a book store, JayTim twins, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:41:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 79,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22283536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dnawhite76/pseuds/dnawhite76, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prubbs/pseuds/Prubbs
Summary: After being dumped by his long time girlfriend, Jason finds himself between houses and the last person on earth that he'd want to live with is the only one with an open room.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd, Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent (background)
Comments: 227
Kudos: 542





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> _"We are all fools in love." - **Jane Austen** , PRIDE AND PREJUDICE _

Dick loved the way that Gotham sounded in the afternoon, right after the five o'clock rush that had everyone screaming at each other through their windows. When all the honking stopped you could almost hear people talking, like a giant conversation that passed from subway grate to subway grate making everything seem alive. Because that's exactly what Gotham was- Alive. So when the transfer came through, Dick could not have been more excited to head back to the symphony of Gotham's streets. 

He had lived a little bit of everywhere, mostly homeschooled as a kid as he traveled with his parents' circus. They had tried their best to instill a free spirit into him and keep him from going to college. They encouraged him to travel and stay one of the _Flying Graysons._ Be with his people. But Dick had never had a problem finding people. He made _people_ wherever he went. 

So when he chose to go to school in Gotham, his parents weren't exactly happy. But they also knew that they couldn't keep him from doing what he wanted. When they encouraged and raised a free spirited child, they knew they would have to be prepared for him to make decisions they didn't like. Gotham University was just the first step in a never ending ladder of anxieties and questionable decisions that made his parents lose sleep. 

Dick thanked the cabbie and tipped him probably a little more than he should, but he knew that the drive from Blüdhaven was long and he had never been a quiet passenger. He grabbed his bags and two boxes out of the back, leaving them in the lobby of the shabby apartment that he had signed for just the day before. He waved the man off and fished out his keys. All of the years of moving and he barely had anything to show for it. He had a mattress and a couch, a couple of bigger items that would be brought in later that day. But most everything else tucked easily under his arm as he turned past the broken elevator and climbed the stairs to the top floor so he could scope out the space before the movers got there. 

-

He spent most of his first night in Gotham trying to fill in all of the empty space in the apartment. But even as small as it was it still looked open and barren. His kitchen and bedroom were completely unpacked-- though that pretty much meant that he had a toaster and some pillows-- and he only had to hang pictures and set up the TV. He got up early, too excited for his first shift at the new station to sleep. He put on his uniform and laced his boots before he strapped on his service pistol. He gave himself one final look in the mirror and shot himself with finger guns before he set off for the station. 

He was one of the first people in the building, the receptionist yawned when he walked up for directions but her eyes widened when she got a look at him. He chatted with her for a few minutes before she laughed and pointed him down the left hall and told him to go to the Chief's office. He waved at the few officers that had made it in early, all of them giving him strange looks like his cheery demeanor might be a disease. The chief seemed just as wary as the rest of them, pushing up his glasses and frowning as he took Dick in. He looked like he had seen better days, his red hair almost all the way blond save for the few spots in the front, and he had more frown than laugh lines. He turned back to his filing cabinet in disinterest. 

"Can I help you officer?" 

Dicks smile faltered slightly, but only for a moment as he stepped further into the office. 

"Yes sir," he told him holding his hands behind his back. "I'm Dick Grayson, new transfer from Blüdhaven." 

That got his attention. The chief looked less bored and closed the file cabinet. "Richard Grayson?" He nodded and if he wasn't mistaken he swore he could see the smallest curve in the man's mouth. "Your commanding officer had nothing but praise for you, and I have to say that your arrest record speaks for itself." Dick beamed and nodded his thanks. The chief walked around his desk and leaned against it, crossing his arms. "From what I hear, Blüdhaven is finally starting to clean up. Why on earth would you want to transfer to Gotham?"

Dick shrugged. His parents had asked him the same thing. They had been devastated when he told them he was going to be a police officer. He had majored in a little bit of everything in school and they had loved that, wanting him to learn a little of everything. Most of it had been history or art or human anatomy-- so the cop thing had kind of come out of left field. But Dick always knew that he wanted to be a police officer. He wanted to help people and make change like a superhero but in real life. "It's like you said sir, Blüdhaven is getting clean, so I wanted to be somewhere I'm needed. Plus my parents work at the pier so I get to see them a little more."

"You're going to be a handful, aren't you?" The chief shook his head and pushed off from his desk. "But regardless, I'm glad to have you." They shook hands and the chief waved for him to follow him out of the office. There were more people there now, all of them waving to the chief and sparing Dick interested looks as they walked by. 

"Your old chief told me you were a likeable guy, happy and all. I thought about that a lot when I was choosing your partner." They stopped in front of a redheaded woman in uniform. She looked about Dick's age, maybe twenty six or a little older. She frowned at them and he immediately saw the resemblance between her and the chief. "Dick, this is my daughter, Barbara. One of the best and brightest." 

She rolled her eyes but held out her hand for Dick. "Do I have to call you Dick?" She asked instead of saying hello after her father left them. "What about Ricky, or Ric?" 

Dick made a face. "Do I look like a Ric to you?" He asked feigning insult. "Being a Dick is a beautiful thing. You should try it sometime."

Her frown deepened. "You're a handful, aren't you?" She asked. And he couldn't help but beam at her-- which apparently not the reaction she wanted because she held her hand out to keep him from answering. "C'mon, you can tell me on patrol." 

-

Barbara had an older brother named James who she didn't like to talk about. She hated the color pink and had been working as a paralegal for three years before going to the police academy. She didn't go into why, but Dick didn't need her to. She had felt the pull, just like most of them did when they applied. She also wasn't much of a talker, but that didn't stop Dick from asking her questions. Her only defense was to ask them back to keep him from making her give more detailed answers.

"You're lying," she told him while shaking her head. He had just told her about one of his first arrests. He had been in foot pursuit of a convenience store robber who was a good twenty feet ahead of him the perp had jumped an old fence, just managing to get over the top when Dick and his partner finally showed up. His partner had stopped but Dick used his momentum to scale it, flipping over the top and taking the man down. It was easily one of his favorites to that day. 

"I'm not," he promised. "My parents are acrobats. I spent all my life learning to do stupid things with my body. This is literally the only job where any of it could come in handy." 

Barbara shook her head. She had an easier smile than her father, less years of seeing horrible things. "That just might be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," she said leaning back in the driver's seat when a bike streaked passed them going fifteen miles over the speed limit and she knocked their lights on to chase after it. The driver looked over his shoulder and pulled over slowly looking like he would rather fall off a cliff than talk to a cop if his shoulders were anything to go by. "This one is all you," Barbara told him. "My welcome gift." Dick smirked and pushed his sunglasses up as he pushed open the car door. 

The biker was smaller than he had looked a minute ago, tapping his tailor made shoe on the concrete so quickly that he might have been able to run off if there wasn't a bike under him. He pushed up his visor as Dick approached and cursed when he saw him more fully. He started pulling his helmet off and Dick pulled out his ticket pad, ready to give him his disappointed speech. "Sir, are you aware of just how fast you were-- Tim?"

Tim Wayne was staring bewildered at him, straddling a freaking motorcycle of all things. "Dick?" He demanded like he couldn't believe it was him. "What are you doing here?" 

"My job," he deadpanned pointing at his badge, but he grinned, unable to help himself. "The bigger question is what the hell are you doing racing down the road on this?" He nudged the bike with his boot. "You wouldn't even touch my bike in college." 

Tim's face flushed a very pleasant shade of red, probably remembering all the things he _had_ touched back in their college days. "Yeah, well. It's been a while?"

"It has," Dick agreed with a laugh. "You look amazing."

Tim smiled at him. He always had the best smile. It was hard to get out of him but once you cracked the code, it was like you were in on this amazing secret that no one else knew. "Amazing enough to not get a ticket?" 

Dick laughed. "Oh you are getting this ticket," he told him already writing it down on his pad. "But I'll buy you dinner Friday night to make up for it." He winked, smirking at the tormented look on Tim's face when he handed it over.

\---

Jason loved his job. He did. Owning his own bookstore had always been a dream of his. Some days it was slow. Too slow. 

He stared at the trickle of coffee as the final few drops fell into the pot. He hated the smell, hated the way that it filled the entire room with its stench. But the little old lady that came in at the same time every day, bought two cups before sitting down and reading, liked it. And the one day he hadn't made any she'd looked so disappointed that he made sure to never missed a day since. 

He poured the cup and set it down at her table as she walked through the door. She smiled and thanked him. He set the pot back on the maker and headed to the back. 

The doorbell jingled and he stuck his head out. Marge was still sipping away. He stepped out and dusted off his hands when he saw who had walked in the door. 

"Oh it's just you." 

"Yeah. Just me. The tie is broken," Tim said and shoved a strip of paper at him. He read the top and chuckled. 

"Fifty in a thirty five? Jeez." 

"Look at the officer." Tim smiled at him. That smile never meant anything good. He skimmed the text before frowning. 

"He's back?"

"Yup. We're going to dinner on Friday. Do you want to come?" 

"Does your _fiancé_?" he asked. 

"Con's coming actually." Tim shot him a look. "Do you want to come or not?" 

"Not." 

"Fine. Oh. Don't tell Dad?" 

"That your ex is back in town or you got another ticket?" 

"The ticket. He doesn't know Dick and I dated." 

"Is that what you're calling it?" 

"Shut up. Don't you have some books to sort?" Tim asked. He leaned over the counter to grab the coffee pot and poured himself a cup before disappearing into the shelves. "He doesn't know right?" Tim asked sticking his head back out. 

"Does our father know that his beloved son was corrupted by an idiot boy in torn jeans and a crop top?" 

"I hate you."

"Hate you more," he called. Marge looked over to him. "Brothers," he offered. She snorted and went back to her book. 

-

"Honey, I'm home." 

"We're in the kitchen," Roy yelled back. 

"Hey babe," he said and kissed Kori on the cheek. She smiled at him, but kept rolling out the dough. "What are you making?" 

"Chicken pot pie," Roy said from the stove. 

"Roy was feeling the homesick." 

"Right." He snuck a handful of the chicken scraps next to Roy and dodged the towel thrown after him on the way out. It didn't take long for Kori to curl up next to him on the couch. She pushed on the edge of his book until she could read the page. 

They read like that until Roy cheered from the kitchen. He followed it up with a yell for them to get in there before the food got cold. 

"Grayson is back in Gotham," Jason mumbled when a rare silence fell over the table. 

"What? He didn't tell me that," Kori replied. Roy mumbled something that sounded vaguely like 'how do you know?' 

"He and Tim have a _date_."

"By your scowl I assume you haven't gotten over your _thing_ ," Roy said with a laugh. 

"He ruined my baby brother. I'm allowed to not like him."

"Tim is 3 minutes-" 

"and a half," Jason interjected. 

"3 and _a half_ -" Roy shot him a look. "-minutes younger than you. He's not a baby."

"Tim was an innocent child." 

"What did you walk in on them doing?" 

"Ugh! I thought we agreed never to talk about that ever again." There were parts of Tim that he never wanted to see, parts he definitely didn't want to see a stranger's mouth on. 

"So he fucked your brother. Get over it," Roy said and stuffed half of his pie in his mouth. 

"Thanks buddy." 

"Timothy did seem to enjoy their time together," Kori said in a soothing voice. 

" _Yeah_ _he did_ ," Roy teased. 

Kori frowned at him and turned to Jason with a smile. "Timothy is in a happy relationship. I'm sure you do not have to worry about Dick any longer."

"That's what you think," he growled. "Tim's a fucking idiot around Grayson. He gets all distracted by his face and abs."

"It is a nice face," Kori replied smiling from behind her glass. "And very nice abs."

"Thanks babe," Jason grumbled. She smirked at him.

"Con could literally toss Dick into space. I'm pretty sure that he wins in all of the categories," Roy volunteered. 

"Dick has a nicer face, but yes. Con is quite attractive," Kori added. Roy grinned. 

"I hate both of you." 

"If you're so worried why don't you just crash the date." Roy smiled at him and he frowned at his plate. He couldn’t tell them that Tim had already invited him and he'd said no. He shrugged and Kori asked Roy a question. They were off on one of their tangents a few seconds later. 

-

Jason waited for the gates to open, his bike humming under him. He swore that they never moved slower than on evenings when he was late. He didn't bother going around to the garage. He dropped his kickstand and pushed through the front door. 

"Sorry," he called and tossed his helmet on the table in the entrance. "Got caught in traffic."

He was expecting the table to be filled, but it was just his mom and Conner sitting at the table. Con looked up at him and he'd honestly never seen someone so excited to see him before. "Jason! Everyone got caught in traffic." 

"Bruce and Tim called with the same excuse," Selina told him. 

"Hey mom," he kissed her cheek and sat down. "How was Cairo?" 

"I was just telling Conner all about it," she said with a broad smile. "What was I saying?"

"We've arrived," Tim said walking in from the kitchen with the spread of his hands. "Oh shit. Jason beat us." 

"Language," Bruce chided and guided Tim toward Con and out of the way. Jason got a heavy pat on his shoulder. "We could have picked you up." 

"And driven me back into town?" 

"Better than you riding that bike." 

"You could stay the night," Selina said. 

"I have to open in the morning," he replied, feeling guilty at the disappointment in her expression. He knew that she understood why he'd moved out of the manor, but she still didn't like it. With Tim moving to Metropolis in a few months she was starting to get a little more maudlin about them leaving the nest. They made a point to get together for dinner when Selina got back from one of her trips. She'd only traveled a few times when they were growing up, but as they'd gotten older she'd spent more time on trips than at home. Now she was home for a few weeks before setting off to another place. 

The conversation started with Bruce asking Tim a question about his new job, and it didn't stop until they were all practically shouting over each other to hear the conversations and their plates were empty. 

"Did you add it to the board?" he asked Tim when Bruce followed Selina into the kitchen. 

"Add what?" Conner asked and looked at Tim. "Did you get another ticket?" 

"No, well maybe. I was barely speeding." 

"50 in a 35," he whispered at Con. He saw him look impressed for a minute before frowning at Tim. 

"That's how I ran into Dick again. And we had fun at dinner right? So really it was a good thing?" Tim offered with a pitiful smile. He knew that Conner was a sucker for that smile. 

"He gets one more and he loses his license," Jason pointed out. Conner's dopey look faded and Tim shot Jason a glare. 

"No. I can get this one dismissed. The last one fell off last week." 

"Maybe we _should_ sell the bike," Conner pondered, though he knew the bike would be staying. He grinned when Tim started to defend himself. 

"Dessert?" Selina called from the doorway. Her face was flushed and he really didn't want to think about why, from the look on Tim and Conner's faces they didn't either. 

He copped out on dessert and got out of the manor before he could be guilted into staying. He knew a 'quick board game' would be next and the next thing he knew it would be the morning and he'd be waking up with at least three cats staring at him. 

He heard a whoop of a siren and checked his mirror before cursing and pulling over. He tapped his foot as he waited on the driver to get out of the car. 

"Oh fuck," he hissed when he recognized the officer. 

"I thought I told you- Wait. You're not Tim."

"I know we're twins, but we don't _actually_ look anything alike." 

"You have the same jacket and helmet," Dick pointed out. 

"A lot of people like red. It's a good color." Dick looked at him. He must have sounded too defensive. "Okay fine. Our mom thought it would be cute if we matched like we did when we were kids. It was the only thing that got our dad to pay for the bikes." 

Dick chuckled and looked back at his car. 

"Look. Please don't give me a ticket. I wasn't even speeding." 

"You were going three miles over actually," Dick replied. Jason looked at him in disbelief. "I thought it was Tim again okay? I gave him a ticket this week for speeding in the exact same spot." 

"Right." He stared at him for a second before remembering that he was supposed to be talking his way out of the ticket. "We have this competition. Okay? And I can't lose it. Tim wins at everything. Seriously. Everything. If you give me a ticket we're back at a tie, but if you don't then I'll win. Please let me win for once? I'll do anything." 

-

There was a small part of Dick that wondered why he was bothering to do this. He knew that Jason didn’t like him. He had hated him ever since college, and after a few years of him trying to people please his way into being Jason’s friend-- Dick eventually gave up on the notion and let it go. But it never really stopped eating at him. Anytime Tim mentioned his brother there was still this tiny part of Dick that wanted to know what he had done to make Jason hate him so much. 

He pulled on his jacket and left his building, giving the car he’d called directions to the bookstore that Jason had given him the address to a few days before. He was standing on the curb next to his bike in a pair of jeans that looked like they had been ironed and tan leather jacket over his red sweater. He got into the car when it pulled up looking like he would rather be anywhere else. Dick told the driver to take them up to the pier and Jason made a face at him. “Are you seriously blackmailing me onto a date? Cause I have a girlfriend.” 

Dick ignored him, shooting a text to Barbara. He didn’t look up from his phone as he asked. “No red jacket today?” 

“Shut up.” Jason grumbled and didn’t say anything else until they got to the pier. Dick thanked the driver as they got out and met Jason on the other side. He stared out at the pier as the driver left them and frowned at the crowd. “What are we doing?” Jason asked still looking unsure. 

Dick couldn’t help but smile at him. “We are hanging out. Like friends. This is what friends do.” 

“We aren’t friends.” 

“That’s what you think,” Dick told him, like it was sad that he couldn’t see just how apparent their friendship was. It wasn’t his usual tactic, but he had to admit that it was fun to watch Jason wrinkle his nose in frustration. “C'mon,” he said grabbing his arm before he could say anything else. “We are going to miss the show.” 

Jason let Dick drag him through the crowd but pulled his arm back when they got to the great tent at the entrance of the pier. Dick bought the tickets and they filed inside with the rest of the crowd grabbing a good spot of bench in the very middle. Dick watched the crowd, their excitement almost tangible around them as mutters filled the air. When he was a kid he used to stand outside the tent and listen to them, letting their words make the air thick enough to walk on. He missed it sometimes, but he also knew that he was made for more. 

“You dragged me to the pier to watch the circus?” 

Dick blinked out of his thoughts and looked over at Jason who looked like he was still trying to piece everything together. “It almost sounds like you are trying to get to know me," Dick teased. 

“I’m not," Jason promised. 

“Then just enjoy the show and be glad I didn’t give you a ticket," he told him as the lights dimmed. 

They watched as Haley walked out into the ring and introduced the beast master who brought out tigers and elephants and a small monkey that he pulled a little girl out of the crowd to help him with. It was endearing to watch, Dick remembering all of the times when he was a kid playing with the same kind of monkey all those years ago. After the beastmaster they brought out the contortionist and the “freaks”. Then the clowns and then Haley was back and the spotlight was rolling around at the crowd as he introduced the Flying Graysons. 

Dick watched Jason as he watched his parents in fascination, dipping and diving through the air with ease. “Any relation?” he asked distracted, unable to take his eyes off them. 

“Something like that," Dick whispered back, watching his parents in pride. 

The crowd gave them a standing ovation when they finished and Haley called the circus to a close. He waited as everyone around them started filing out, and when Jason asked what was next he started walking down the bleachers. 

Jason looked even more confused and uncomfortable as Dick led him through the fleeing crowds toward the rings. Haley was standing next to the beastmaster joking jovially when he saw Dick and grinned waving him over. 

"Richard!" He half shouted hugging him tight enough to pop his back. He was so big that when he was a kid he had thought that Haley was a giant. When Dick told him that he'd laughed loud enough to stir the elephants and told him that of course he was a giant- that was why he started the circus. So he wouldn't be lonely. 

Haley pat Dick's face when he pulled away. "I was told you were back in town. Any chance you are thinking of coming back?"

Dick shook head and offered him an apologetic shrug. "Sorry Haley, I've already got a job."

He narrowed his eyes. "For now anyway," Haley grumbled but then his eyes darted over his shoulder. "And who is this?" He asked, throwing his arm over Dick's shoulder and turning him so they were both looking at Jason who looked like he would rather be anywhere else. "He's a pretty one Dicky," he stage whispered and Dick couldn't help but grin when Jason made a face. 

"Haley, this is my friend Jason," he said ducking out from under his arm and going to stand next to Jason. He wrapped his arm through his and felt Jason tense. "We met in college and ran into each other a couple nights ago so I thought I'd bring him by to meet the family.

Haley nodded, a twinkle in his eyes. “They should be right out back, you know the way.” 

“You are going to murder me, aren’t you?” Jason asked looking around at the clowns that were now half out of costume and towering around them. They shot friendly waves at Dick and he tried to ignore Jason’s paranoia. “This is because I punched you in college isn’t it?”

Dick rolled his eyes. “Just stop talking,” he told him and opened the flap on the tent that led outside. He held it open but Jason just stared at it and then looked back at Dick warily. “I swear, I’m not looking for revenge because you thought I was your brother’s boyfriend in college.” Jason made a face at that and Dick sighed. “Do I have the handcuff you?” He didn’t say anything, but after a moment Jason ducked through the flap. 

There was an old apartment building outside of the tent where most of the circus performers and carnival workers lived. But he walked past that to the old RV that was parked out front on what used to be a parking lot. He looked back at Jason, running a hand through his hair and put on a smile. “Try to be nice, okay?” he asked him before he knocked on the door. 

There was a bustling sound and the RV shook as he heard a woman’s voice come from the back of the car. He rocked on his feet waiting for the door to open and a medium height man with arms the size of his head opened the door. He beamed at him and shook his head. 

“You sneak,” he accused Dick before yanking him in for a hug. 

“Hey Dat,” Dick hugged his father so hard that he pulled him off of the ground laughing before he dropped him down and his father rubbed his head. 

“I can’t believe you are here. How long has it been?” he demanded. 

“A month," he reminded him. “When I came to look for apartments.” 

“Too long then.” His father shook his head and then seemed to notice Jason watching them. “And who is this?” 

Dick draped an arm over his father’s shoulders and walked him over to Jason. “Dat, this is my friend Jason. Didn’t believe that I actually grew up in a circus so I had to prove it.” 

“Your friend’s with this weirdo?” he asked Jason in disbelief, hooking his thumb at his son who held his chest in mock hurt. 

Jason looked so surprised that Dick almost thought he wouldn’t be able to answer him. But he shook out of it enough to attempt a smile and fix Dick with a look as he said, “Unfortunately… yes.” 

His father laughed and grabbed Jason’s arm, pulling him towards the RV. “You have to come in and meet Mary. We have been convinced Dicky Bird had been talking about pretend friends for years-- she’s going to lose her mind.” He continued talking at Jason and Dick followed them in trying to pretend that he was embarrassed.

His mother was in the kitchenette in the middle of the trailer and she squeeled when Dick ducked through the door. “Dicky!” She yelled gleefully skipping to him, but stopped when she saw Jason and pushed her husband to the side. She held Jason at his elbows, looking him over like he was a piece of meat. “Oh, Dick.” She shook her head appreciatively, “Is he for me?” she asked, winking at her husband who was shaking his head. 

“Daya, this is Jason," he told her, putting his hand on the small of Jason’s back and giving her a look. “My _friend_ Jason. Who might decide against that if you don-” 

But she wasn’t listening anymore. “Your friend?” she repeated. “Like a real friend?” She demanded and turned back to Jason. “You are my son’s friend?”. 

“I- yeah I am," Jason agreed in an almost panic. “Yeah, good friends.” 

“Best friends, actually,” Dick smirked at him and Jason would have glared but his mother was pulling him into the kitchen and pushing him down into the table. 

“I just can’t believe it," she said mostly to herself as she filled the kettle with water and fished through her cabinet of tea. “All these years of you talking about your _friends,_ and here we are finally seeing one in the flesh.” She shook her head and laughed in complete bliss. 

“You’ll have to forgive Mary,” his father told him, taking the chair across from Jason. “We move around so much that we never actually get to meet any of Dick’s friends.” 

“It’s like seeing bigfoot!” She agreed ecstatically.

“Okay, I think he gets what a loser I am.” Dick laughed holding his hands up in surrender. 

Jason smirked and looked back at his mom. “You could tell me more about what a loser Dick is, if you want," he said in mock innocence. So they told him everything. So many stupid stories from when he was a kid that he would have crawled under the RV if he were capable of being embarrassed anymore. Instead he just sat on the counter and drank his tea, enjoying the happiness on his parents' faces as they talked to Jason about the wonderful life they had given him, and when they left, Jason even agreed to come back. 

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Dick told him as they walked around the tent back to the public side of the pier. “They’ll hunt you down if you don’t hold up your end of the bargain.” 

Jason ignored that. “You really haven’t introduced any of your friends to your parents?”

“Not on purpose.” Dick told him. “When I was in school the circus was traveling and after that-- everyone just kind of spread out.” He shrugged and stopped just before they hit the boardwalk. “They hate that I’m a cop and I know they worry about me. So I thought it was about time I show them I’m not some crippling loner.” 

Jason laughed and took a step into the crowd. “Like anyone who knows you could ever accuse you of being a loner.”

-

"Hey babe?" Jason called dropping his keys on the front table. He could hear the sound of pans clattering on the stove. Jason followed the noise and stopped in the doorway. "You're not the redhead I want to see right now." 

"Way to make a guy feel special," Roy replied. He had made a mess of their kitchen. "How was your _date_?" Roy asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows. 

He sat down at the table to watch Roy. "Grayson isn't that bad." 

"Oh God. Are you okay? That must have hurt." 

"Fuck off." Roy poured a pale goop over a pan of chicken breasts. He watched him poke at it with a spatula with a frown on his face before he sighed and stuck it in the oven. "What are you even doing?" he finally asked. 

"Making dinner," Roy replied, his voice tense as he read his phone. 

"Why are you in my apartment making dinner?"

"Someone stole my oven," Roy answered. 

"What?"

"I don't know. Okay? I got back from work last week and it was gone." 

"Dude. You need to get a new place. You could stay with us." 

Roy sat down heavily across from him. "Kori said the same thing when I told her. But I uh. Heard back from the case worker." Jason sat forward and saw the smile growing on Roy's face. "They said if I didn't miss any of my meetings I could take her home for her birthday weekend. Then we'd see how it went from there."

"No shit?" Jason asked. "Really?" 

"Yeah. I've been trying to figure out these recipes so I don't poison her."

"I could help you out," he offered. Roy looked at the stove obviously thinking that he meant dinner. Jason shook his head. "A down payment on a better place, maybe." 

Roy stared at him for a long minute. He'd always refused when Jason had offered to help him in the past. So he was a little surprised when he nodded and said, "You would?" He sounded like he was surprised by the offer. "I actually found this place that's in a good school district. I can afford it, but I know they would deny my application." 

"Shove the Wayne name on there and it'll fly through." 

"You're serious?" 

"Yeah dude. I don't want my goddaughter getting mugged while she's playing with her dolls." Roy heaved out a loud sigh and looked like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. "You have to let me teach you how to cook though. Cause whatever you just made was not supposed to look like that." 

-

He was staring at the children's book display when the bell over the door chimed. He tilted his head and poked at one of the books. Something looked off.

"Excuse me sir. Could you help me?" He groaned and turned. Dick was grinning at him. Kori was peeking over his shoulder with a huge smile on her face. 

"Weren't we even?" Jason asked and turned back to the table. It was that mouse. It was giving him the stink eye. He glared back and moved it to the back of the table. 

"I feel like a single night isn't good enough when you'll get to lord it over Tim for a month."

Jason shot Kori a look and she tried to look innocent but failed. 

"Come to dinner with us," Kori asked. 

"Fine," he agreed. Dick beamed and he turned away. "But only because my girlfriend asked. We're still not friends, Grayson." 

Kori popped up and kissed him on the cheek and told him they'd be back to pick him up after closing. 

"I like your shop," Dick said motioning around him as he was dragged out the door.

"Thanks," he replied to the empty room. 

-

Jason bit his lip as he carefully wrote Happy Birthday in icing. Lian was standing beside him on a stool watching his every move. He paused as he finished the curl of the y. "What's your name again?" 

"Lian!" she shouted at him in her most disappointed voice. 

"Ah yes. I knew that. L-X-U-" She hit him and spelled her name slowly as he wrote it. "And you're turning six?" 

She smiled up at him and showed him six fingers. He touched one with a glob of icing and looked back into the room where Roy was directing Tim and Conner with decorations. "Don't tell your dad." She smiled and stuck her finger in her mouth. 

She ran off to her room and Jason put the cover over the cake. He looked around and was impressed by how much it looked like an actual home. Roy had only gotten the keys two days ago, but there wasn't a single box anywhere that he could see. He walked out into the living room. Tim was holding the end of a streamer against the wall staring at Roy. He could see his patience thinning with each second. "A little higher," he said and Tim shot him a look before moving it up an inch. Roy hummed and Con snickered into his shoulder from the other side of the room where he was holding his end. 

"It looks fine right here," Tim finally snapped and stuck the thumbtack into the wall. "There. Beautiful," Tim announced and spread his arms as he fell onto the couch across from the happy birthday banner. He sat down next to him and looked up at it. 

"I think Tim's side is a little high," Jason said. Tim elbowed him. Roy looked like he was considering moving the streamer before shaking his head and sitting down in the recliner that Selina had suddenly had no use for and needed out of the house immediately. Jason knew that Roy had seen through the ruse, but he'd still accepted the chair. It was a hideous chair that he was pretty sure his mom had bought just to irritate his dad. 

Conner squeezed past him to sit on Tim's other side. They all looked at the banner. After a few minutes of silence Tim stood up. "It is too high." 

Lian came running back into the room with her arms full of princess hats. She handed one to each of them before putting one on herself. Roy put his on and shook out the ribbons flowing from the top. "Am I a pretty princess?" 

Lian giggled. When the doorbell rang they were all wearing their hats and Lian was trying to pick out dresses for them. They'd tried telling her they wouldn't fit, but she was determined to pick out dresses for them anyway. Dick was standing at the door and a little girl was standing in front of him. She ran past him screaming for Lian. He looked back and watched them hug each other. 

"She just followed me in?" Dick said. "Looks like they know each other." 

"Come on. You need to get your princess hat." He twirled his and smiled before stepping back so Dick could come in. Lian picked out a blue hat for Dick that matched his eyes, her words, not his. And then went back to arguing with Tim over the color of his dress. 

"Jason's dress is red. Yours can't be too."

"But red is my favorite color. And we're twins. We match all the time."

"No. You can wear yellow," she told him. Tim looked taken aback by the no nonsense tone. Jason snorted. 

"Can I wear a blue dress?" Dick asked. 

"Daddy's dress is blue." Lian looked at Dick though. She frowned at him and looked at her friend. They whispered to each other then looked at Roy who was slowly eating all of the carrots from the veggie tray. "Daddy, can Mister Dick have your dress? It would look prettier on him." Dick laughed and Roy made the most offended noise from a grown man he'd ever heard over a pretend dress that he'd never actually wear. 

According to Lian, Dick was born to be a princess. He had the prettiest eyes and the prettiest hair and he wasn't too tall, which was 'good.' Tim took entirely too much delight in that, his own height for once not being mentioned in a room of giants. Dick never really understood why Tim was so fixated on his height, but he had also never had any siblings to compare height with. He assumed that being seven inches shorter than your twin brother could be considered annoying-- but honestly Dick was just honored to be considered the prettiest Princess. 

Lian and her friend sat him down in a tiny chair in the middle of the living room and proceeded to pull his hair until he was assured that it was fabulous. Then, with his permission, they pulled out a bag of play make up and asked if they could make him more beautiful. "You don't have to do that," Roy told him looking slightly fearful for his friend. 

"Oh, I think I do," he said too seriously, "It's Lian's special birthday wish."

"Yeah Daddy!" She squealed at him, completely delighted that she was being humored. "It's my birthday wish!" 

Roy sighed in surrender and Tim agreed to stay and moderate while the 'adults' pulled out plates for the pizza that came in right after they started. Lian told Dick all about the new school down the street and how she wanted to go there. She told him about the pony that she saw on TV a few days ago and how sad it looked how she didn't understand who could ever want a pony when there were dogs. Dick listened because he knew it was important to her. He told her about the ponies that they used to have in the circus and how they were super happy all of the time. He told her about the one bad one that he'd met that tried to eat his hand instead of his carrot. Then he told her that when he was a kid, his mom taught him everything. 

"Moms aren't teachers!" She laughed like that was the silliest thing she ever heard. 

"Mine was," he told her.

"Do you pinkie swear?" She asked holding her finger out to him. 

He took it easily. "Pinkie swear." 

Roy interrupted, handing each girl a plate with a slice of pizza and looking at Dick completely alarmed. "Well aren't you…" he searched for the right word.

"Beautiful?" Dick asked batting his eyelashes. 

If he wasn't disturbed before, he was now. "Please stop," he told him and shook his head before he looked down at his daughter. "I think Dick should go get washed up, we'll do the cake when he gets back." Lian agreed at the promise of sugar. Tim and Roy helped Dick out of the tiny chair pointing him back to the bathroom. 

He winced when he saw his reflection, but luckily the make up came off easily. The braid was another story. He gave up after a minute of trying to find where they had tied it off and left it, walking into Jason as he left the bathroom. Jason caught him before his forehead collided with his nose and pushed him back easily. His eyes went straight to his hair. 

"Fashion statement?" He asked dryly. 

"You don't think I look beautiful?" Dick asked in mock hurt. 

Jason rolled his eyes and stepped past him to the bathroom. "I prefer you in lipstick." He smirked and closed the door. 

Dick rejoined the party. But Lian only let him settle long enough to eat a slice of pizza before she demanded to know what his top three favorite Disney princesses were and that quickly lead to a debate on weather Mulan was a princess or not. After that they had cake, Lian's friend had to leave and she dragged the rest of them into the living room to watch her favorite princess movie, _Brave._

"Nope, Dick sits here!" She told her dad when he tried to sit next to her and let out a huff of fake offense. 

"You don't want to sit with your old man on your birthday?" He demanded. "You wouldn't even have a birthday without me!" 

She screamed out a laugh when he tickled her and shook her head. "I have to be able to tell him why _Brave_ is the best!" She told him so level headedly there would be no arguing with her. "Besides, we are best friends now." 

Dick sat next to her and leaned in to stage whisperer, "Shhhh, you'll make Jason jealous!" 

She giggled and tried to whisper back, "Why would uncle Jay be jealous?" But it just sounded like a 'spooky' version of her own speaking voice. 

"We were best friends first," he told her shaking his head. "Poor Jason."

"We aren't friends, Grayson," Jason said rolling his eyes but dropped onto the couch next to him. 

"Why not?" Lian demanded looking offended. 

Dick had to bite on his bottom lip not to laugh as he mimicked her expression. "Yeah, why not?" 

Jason looked from Dick to Lian and sighed, "Well, we aren't _best_ friends."

"Why?" Lian asked kicking her feet gleefully. 

Jason frowned and stared forward. "Because Tim is my best friend."

"Nope." Tim shook his head from the love seat where he had just settled his feet on Conner's lap. "Dick is definitely my best friend, or Con. Probably Con." Kon grinned at him and they high fived. 

"Okay, fine." He huffed. "Then Kori is my best friend."

"Dude, ouch." Roy clutched his chest. "Does no one want to be _my_ best friend?"

"We could be best friends," Dick offered. 

"No _we're_ best-" Jason stopped himself before he finished snapping back and everyone grinned at him. "I seriously hate all of you," he told them, his face turning red as he turned to stare straight ahead at the movie menu while everyone picked at him. Dick wasn't sure he had ever really stopped to look at Jason's profile before. And for the first time, he had to admit that Jason was pretty attractive-- especially when he blushed. 

-

Jason was in a bad mood for the rest of the evening. He could feel Roy shooting him looks, but he ignored them and focused on smiling for Lian. She whined when Dick had to leave, but he promised that he'd come visit and she'd made him pinky promise before letting him leave. Tim and Conner ducked out not that long after that. When Roy put Lian to bed Jason walked around the room cleaning up. He was tossing princess hats into the hamper when he felt Roy's gaze on his back. He tensed and the hat he'd tossed dropped a foot short of the basket.

"What's bothering you?" 

"Nothing," he said grabbing the hat and dropping it in the basket. 

"It was all that best friend talk wasn't it." 

"You know you're my-" 

"Yes, Jason. I know that I am the number two best friend. I have accepted that I cannot compete with someone who you shared the womb with." He nodded and grabbed another hat avoiding Roy's gaze. 

"Come on, put on Inside Out. You need to learn how emotions work." Jason scoffed, but grabbed the DVD and slid it into the player. 

"I love the apartment," he mumbled. 

Roy beamed at him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thank you so much for stopping by our page! 
> 
> I am so happy to be finally sharing this story with you! Jay/Dick is one of my favorite parings, and I guess I complained about it enough because my wonderful partner DNA finally gave in and let us try it out. I got the idea for this fic a little after finishing the book, _Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating_ by _CHRISTINA LAUREN_ who are our favorite authors and who we strive to one day be. If you haven't read their books they are wonderful and super dirty. 
> 
> This fic was named after one of the best songs ever written, [_This Must Be The Place_](https://youtu.be/Tzf4TtSYqGE) by _The Talking Heads_. If you haven't heard it, please follow the link and brighten your world. But because I am aware that this song is painfully 80's (and that's why it's great), _The Lumineers_ have a beautiful [_cover_](https://youtu.be/Qz4HTEHW4iE) that is just as good as the original. 
> 
> Listen to the beautiful music and enjoy the story. It only get's better from her. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

Jason heard Lian's laugh and set down the box he had been about to sort. He was surprised to see her head bouncing above the shelves. She giggled and waved at him. 

"Oh wow. You grew up so much," he told her. "I can't even reach you to hug you anymore." She whined and reached for him, but he pretended to shrink behind the bookshelf. 

"No! Mister Dick put me down. Put me down." Jason stood up and looked over the shelf. Dick, not Roy, was crouched down, helping Lian climb off of his shoulders. She ran around the corner and leapt into his arms. 

"Oof!" Jason affected and squeezed her. He let her down and she darted off to the kids section. 

"You kidnapping my _best friend's_ child now?" 

"Ha ha," Dick laughed drily. "Roy called. An emergency came up at work and I was the only one that could pick her up. He said to bring her by." 

"She likes to read in the castle." He walked back through the store and waved his hand to reveal the cardboard cutout of a castle tucked into the corner of the room. There were holes where the kids could climb into nooks and read. Lian was in the highest one like always. "I have to get some work done, but help yourself to a cup of coffee. My mom dropped off the cookies. Don't eat them." He mimed gagging and headed to the back. 

When he was done, Dick was sitting up in the front talking to Marge. Lian spread out on the floor at his feet coloring. Marge-- ever stone faced unamused Marge-- was laughing at whatever Dick said. He frowned and leaned on the counter a few feet from their chairs. 

"Is he bothering you Margie?" 

"Your friend was just telling me about the circus." 

"Avoid the clowns," he offered her and made a face at Lian. She stuck her tongue out at him. He hooked a finger at her and she darted up and around to the open end of the counter. He watched Dick and Marge talk as he walked around the store with Lian on his back. She helped him put books away. He stood next to the shelf and she shoved the book in. Dick appeared at the end. 

"Marge left. She's fascinating." 

"She is. She knows everything about this neighborhood." Lian motioned him forward and he handed her the next book. "My store used to be a speakeasy in the 20s and went legit when prohibition ended. I'm pretty sure that's why she still comes." 

Dick told him some of the things Marge had talked about as they walked through the store. Lian asking questions when she didn't know what a book said or what they were talking about. Dick answered each question simply. He was helping Lian make room for a scifi trilogy when Dick's phone went off and a cartoon voice announced that he'd gotten a text message. He chuckled and Dick looked oddly embarrassed as he tapped out his response to the message. 

"That was Roy. He said he has like half an hour left. He's supposed to buy me dinner as a thank you. Do you want to come?" 

"Come with us Uncle Jay," Lian said, squeezing his neck. He agreed to stop her from choking him. 

-

Tim stared at him. He stared right back. The tension built and he forced himself not to look away. Tim's eyes flicked down for a moment then locked back on his in an intense gaze. 

"Do you have any threes?" 

"Go fish." 

Tim groaned and grabbed the card off the top of the deck. He had closed down for the day because of a parade. Kori was still out of town on a trip so he'd ended up at the manor. Tim had looked like he wanted to murder him when he woke him up at 10 that morning, but they'd watched all of the Jurassic Park movies and had spent the entire third one arguing over what the scariest dinosaur was. They'd had the argument before, but neither of them would budge. Jason was right and Tim was wrong, he just needed to accept that. After a loud argument that ended with their dad shoving the door open and reminding them how old they were that they switched to card games. 

"So Dick said you didn't glare at him the last time he saw you." 

"Only because he had Lian with him," he answered. "Fives?" Tim handed the cards over. 

"And that you agreed to dinner. Aces?"

"Go fish. Am I all you talk about?" he asked. 

"No. But you come up. It's your turn." 

"I know. Any jacks? How do I come up?" 

"You're my brother. Here. Eights? And I think Dick's lonely." 

"Go fish. Man you are sucking today," he teased. "Fives?" he asked again still looking for that last card. Tim pointed at the deck and he sighed. "What do you want me to do about it? He's friends with all of my friends. You want me to tell Roy to hang out with him more?" 

"No. I just- can you try to be his friend? And maybe not be so growly at him."

"I'm not _growly_."

" _Grayson,_ " Tim mimicked in a deep voice that sounded nothing like his voice. " _Why are you smiling? I hate people who smile."_

"I don't sound like that. And Kori is the fucking sun so I have no problem with smiling people." Tim made a face. 

" _I hate all guys who are more attractive than me."_

"Fuck you."

" _I am a grumpy gus who just doesn't like nice people. Because they remind me of how not nice I am."_

"It's your turn," he mumbled. 

" _Do you have any kings?"_ Tim asked in that same voice. He tossed the cards at him and Tim laughed. 

"I don't have a problem with Grayson. I just don't see why we need to be friends. We weren't friends in college and it worked out fine. We're fine as people who know each other's names and nod at each other in passing."

"That is so specific." Tim rolled his eyes when Jason grinned. "You're irritating. Do you know that?" 

"Well. You're terrible at impersonations."

"Well. I'm moving to Metropolis in three months and Roy has Lian now. Maybe you could use another friend." 

"I have Kori." 

"Who nearly broke up with you last year because she thought you were _smothering_ her?" He shot Tim a glare. Tim had never been fond of Kori. He tolerated her and never actually said anything bad about her, but he always pointed out things like that. 

"Nines?" Jason asked. Tim looked at him for a few seconds then handed him a card. 

They went back to their game and Tim didn't bring up Dick again.

-

"Do you own a tux?" Jason pushed into Dick's apartment as soon as he opened the door. 

"Hello Jason. No. I do not own a tux. Why?" 

He looked back at him then tilted his head and walked into his bedroom. 

"Uh. Jason. You're acting really weird." 

"Kori can't leave work and I am not being the fifth wheel with my family again." He opened his closet and flicked through the jackets. "Roy has a meeting tonight so you're it." He turned and handed Dick a dark blue suit. "That'll have to work." 

"Okay? You going to tell me where I'm going in this suit?"

"You want to be my friend?" Dick stared at him. "Well then you're coming with me to the Wayne Foundation Gala. Rub elbows with the social elite and stop me from jumping off the balcony." 

“That sounds so appealing," Dick told him in deadpan as he walked into his bathroom and shoved the light on. “Really, you should consider a career as a lawyer. Or a salesman.” 

“You have thirty minutes to be ready," Jason warned him, hanging the suit on his towel rack and heading toward the living room. Dick heard the TV click on as he closed the bathroom door and turned on the shower. It wasn’t like he really minded going to social functions, talking to people was one of the things he did best and he enjoyed that. But he’d had a long day at the station. He’d had to arrest a seventeen year old boy for stealing eggs from the Quickie Mart downtown. His mother had burst into tears when she met them at the curb and then the boy started crying saying how he was just trying to help out the family. He’d ended up not processing him, instead of working out a deal with the Quickie Mart owner that got him an after school job. 

He showered quickly, blow drying his hair and shaved the stubble on his face before he put the suit on. He rubbed a little wax through his hair and wondered if he even had a tie to wear with this. He made a face at himself in the mirror before walking across the hall into his room to grab his dark brown loafers and a belt, and once he looked as good as he was going to get he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked back into the living room. 

Jason was in his kitchen rummaging through his pantry with a look of disgust on his face. “Do you only eat ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches?” he demanded and closed the pantry, but the question was lost to him when he got a good look at Dick. “No, what is that.” He demanded pointing at his exposed, sockless ankles. 

Dick raised an eyebrow at him. “The suit you told me to wear.” 

“Where is the rest of it?” he asked coming around the island to get a better look at him. 

Dick grinned at him. “This is all of it. And I’ll have you know, this is an extremely fashionable suit. _And_ it’s breathable.” 

Jason shook his head and looked down at his watch making a face. “We’re talking about the junk in your pantry later. But we have to go.” He sighed and grabbed Dick’s arm as he pulled him out of the door. He wasn’t surprised to see Jason’s bike parked on the corner, but he was surprised when he pulled a second helmet out of his seat storage and handed it to Dick. “What?” he asked when he gave him a look, buckling his own helmet on. “I’m not a heathen.” 

He pulled the helmet on and climbed onto the bike behind Jason. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been on the back of someone else’s motorcycle and he couldn’t say he minded it. Jason waited for Dick to grip his waist and as soon as he felt secure, he took off down the crowded street. 

It was exhilarating to see Gotham this way, in flashes of color and sound that went by too fast to really see or understand, but you could feel it. He tried to enjoy it as long as he could, but it didn’t take Jason long to get them to Wayne Manor and pull into the giant garage. 

“Okay, how do you do that?” Jason demanded when Dick pulled off the helmet. 

“What?” he asked confused. 

“Your hair," he said, sounding annoyed as he tucked Dick’s helmet back into the storage space. “How does it still look like that coming out of a helmet?”

Dick just shrugged and smirked at him. “It’s a gift.” He sighed like it was some terrible burden. Jason rolled his eyes as he led Dick inside. He had been to the Wayne Manor two times before. Once during summar break when he was picking Tim up for some stupid roadtrip with the gang and once more when he was helping Tim move out of his apartment after graduation. It looked exactly the same as the last time he saw it, completely spotless and covered in objects that were worth more than his entire apartment building. 

“Why don’t they just throw the event here?” he asked, listening to his footsteps echo through the entry. 

Jason laughed at that. “My mom would lose it if this place was filled with people.” He looked over his shoulder at him. “She used to work in museums and after that she started her own business being a private buyer for people who like beautiful things.”

“I take it, your mom likes beautiful things?” Dick asked. 

Jason nodded. “And she hates it when people touch them."

He left Dick in a room that looked like a living room but also could have been a library so that he could go get changed. He walked around looking at the different books and touching pretty much everything until Conner and Tim walked in and Dick was relieved to see that he wasn’t the only one not in a Tux. Conner was in a burgundy suit that looked amazing on him. He also seemed to feel the same way as Dick because he grinned at him and hugged him harder than he had at Lian’s party. 

“What are you doing here?” Tim asked seeming as confused as Dick felt. 

"Jason kidnapped me…" He made a face as he thought about it. "Which is weird 'cause he's never been to my apartment." 

"Neither have I," Tim pouted. 

Conner smirked and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you'll get the chance," he assured him with a kiss behind his ear. Dick decided right then and there that he liked Conner and that he and Tim were a perfect match. 

He had never met Bruce and Selina Wayne, but he knew them as soon as they walked in. Bruce Wayne was a monster of a man, broad shoulders and ridiculously tall with a gaze that could cut through you. Selina was the exact opposite. She was wearing a purple lace dress with a high neck and long delicate sleeves. Everything about her was elegant and small and her smile was mischievous, Dick immediately knew where Jason got it from. They greeted their kids with kisses and hugs before Selina noticed the stranger in the room and turned on Dick with a curious and amused question in her eyes. 

"Who brought the pretty boy?" she asked looking back at her son. 

Tim rolled his eyes and held his hands up. "Don't look at me. It was Jason."

"So you are Jason's pretty friend," Selina said walking gracefully forward. He held her hand out to shake Dick's hand and he took it firmly. He had worked with too many women who hated having their handshakes brushed aside by the dainty squeeze to ever try that again. By the way her eyes twinkled, he knew that was the right choice. "I'm Selina," she said warmly. 

"Richard," he told her with a beaming smile. "Please call me Dick."

"I like that," she said crinkling her nose and looking back at her husband. "Good old name." Bruce seemed amused by his wife and opened his mouth to say something when she gasped and smacked Dick on the shoulder. "Wait, Dick Grayson?" She asked, eyes lighting up when he nodded. "So you are the one that ruined my son," she accused but didn't seem the least bit mad.

He tried to look sheepish but Tim was laughing into his fist and Conner saved him by saying, "Yeah, thanks for that by the way."

"You're welcome?" He offered, relieved when Jason walked in, perfectly neat and pressed in his tux. Dick shot him a look but he ignored him and asked if they were just standing around or ready to go. 

Selina pulled Dick next to her in the back of the line, taking his attention with one of the strangest conversations he had ever had. She touched his leg once and he immediately shot a look at Bruce so he would know he had no intention of seducing his wife. But he didn't seem bothered. He didn't fully understand why until he touched Dick's knee, thankfully right when they reached the gala. 

"Woah, slow down," Jason told him when he downed the first glass of champagne that was given to him. "It's a Gala not a frat party."

Dick fixed him with a look as set the glass on a nearby table. "Dude, are your parents… super… experimental?"

Jason frowned at him, and then a look of horror crossed his face. "Okay, we are staying away from them," he said and handed Dick another glass as he pulled him through the crowd. 

They spent most of the night at the bar, sipping on the same drinks for an hour as they watched the insanely well dressed people. Dick couldn't stop asking how much Jason thought outfits cost and eventually they started taking bets on what the most expensive outfit in the room was. He was surprise they were actually having a good time when the conversation shifted back to college. 

"So, be honest, how many people in our friend group did you end up…" Jason trailed off and Dick grinned at the unexpected prudeness. 

Dick finished his drink and thought about it. "Well… all of them?" He offered making a face. "Not you or Roy, but mostly everyone else."

"That is actually insane," Jason told him. Dick grinned and shrugged it off and when Jason finished his drink he finally asked. "So… how did you do it?"

He pulled his brows in. "What do you mean?"

"What's your move?" 

"My move?" Dick smirked. 

"Yeah, like how do you get everyone to jump out of their pants and into your bed?" 

Dick grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and set one on front of Jason, giving himself a moment to turn on his charm. "How well do you know Plato?"

"The Philosopher?" Jason asked. Dick nodded. "I know of him." 

"Have you ever read about Plato's Theory of Forms?" Jason frowned at him and shook his head. "So basically Platonic forms are just ideas of things that actually exist. They represent what each individual thing is supposed to be in order to be that specific thing and what makes it the most perfect version of whatever that thing is." He paused to take a sip from his glass but he could tell by the way that Jason was leaning in and watching him that he was interested. "So if you are a twig, you want to be a tree. If you are a rock, you want to be a boulder." Jason nodded and shrugged to show his understanding. 

Dick shifted forward, a little smile playing at the corner of his mouth when he let his hand run up Jason's knee to his thigh and back down, grabbing the leg of the chair he was on and pulling him forward. Jason jumped, a small gasp coming out of him. "Well," he said softly so that he had to lean in to hear him. "I think every man is just striving to be you." 

He leaned back in his chair and let Jason sit in that for a minute, very pleased with himself as he shook the daze away. 

"Do you want to walk around?" Jason asked clearing his throat. 

Dick grinned. "Sure." 

They walked around the outskirts of the party, stopping here and there to say hello and Jason introduced Dick to the few people he could stand. They stood on the balcony for a little bit, watching the streets and talking about when Jason was a kid and how he used to walk by the event center every day. They were laughing when they came back in. 

"I still don't know why you invited me to this," Dick admitted. "But I'm glad."

Jason laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, Tim might have mentioned that he thought you were lonely." He shrugged. "But honestly I'm glad too. This has not been horrible."

Dick stopped laughing, a little pit grew in his gut as he stopped walking. Jason took a moment to notice before he turned around. “Dick?”

“Is this… a pity friend date?” he asked slowly. Jason didn’t have to answer, his eyes shifted and it was written all over his face. A waiter passed by with an almost empty tray and Dick stopped him to place his still full glass of champagne back on it so that he could ball up his hands in his pocket. “Look, Jason, you don’t have to be my friend. I know that you don’t like me and as much as that bothers me, we’re both adults and you are perfectly capable of making up your mind about people. I’m not lonely. I have awesome parents and friends who actually _like_ me. I just thought that maybe since we hang out with the same people we could…” They could what? Get along? “Move past this… Whatever this is. I don’t need you to pity me. Though, thanks I guess for trying to spare my feelings.”

He offered Jason a small smile and moved to walk past him to the double doors at the entrance. Jason grabbed his wrist to stop him, “Look, Dick-”

Dick squeezed his hand. “It’s fine, Jay. And don’t worry about the ticket. We're good.” 

Jason watched Dick walk away for a few steps before turning back to the room. Tim was stepping away from the Gibbons with a frown on his face. He cursed and followed after Dick. 

"Hey," he called when he'd hit outside. Dick was standing at the street hand in the air. He scoffed. "I know you didn't give me the ticket. I was there when you put your pad away." 

"Jason," Dick started with a weary sigh. 

"No. Okay. Yeah, maybe Tim saying you were lonely was what made me think of you, but only because we'd literally been talking about you yesterday." He frowned and glared at the light post a few feet away. "He might have also said that I needed more friends. And don't tell him, but he might be right. So it wasn't pity. And maybe-" He frowned at the light post. "-you're not as bad as I thought." 

"A raving endorsement. Dick Grayson: _Not as bad as I thought_." 

"Fine. I had fun tonight. Thanks to you." He looked to Dick who had put his hand down during his rant. "So," he rolled his eyes. He felt stupid, but knew Dick would appreciate it. "Will you be my _number three_ best friend?" 

Dick's lips twitched as he fought his instinctive smile. "I don't know. What does being your number three friend involve?" 

"Coming to this shit with me when Kori can't," he gestured at the building behind them. "Dinner every once in a while. And you get free donuts on Thursdays if you stop by the shop." 

"Hmm…" Dick scratched his chin as he considered the offer. "I get to come to game night too."

"Roy has dibs on that. He's number 2. He has seniority, sorry." 

"Dinner slash hang out time every week." 

"Are you negotiating for a friendship with me?"

"'Negotiate everything' my mom always told me." 

"Fine. Every week." 

"It's a friendship," Dick said and held his hand out. Jason shook it. 

"Now I know why you and Tim are friends," Jason mumbled. "Come on. We have more people to judge."

Tim cornered him at the bar while Dick was in the restroom. "What was that about?"

"Needed some fresh air," he offered.

"Right." Tim's eyes narrowed at him and he smiled back. 

"You know you guys look exactly like your parents right now?" Dick asked and pointed across the room where Bruce was smiling down at Selina as she pointed in an angry remark. Tim dropped his finger and stepped away. Jason's smile dropped off. 

"I don't see it," he replied. 

"Jason hates that he looks like our dad. It's all he ever heard growing up," Tim said and took a sip of his drink.

"Do you know how many people pinched my cheek and told me I was _such a handsome boy_?" 

"Two?" Dick asked. 

"One!" Tim chimed in. 

"A lot," Conner answered walking up behind Tim. 

"Yes. Thank you." 

"What are we talking about?" Conner asked. Jason frowned at him as Tim snickered and turned to look up at him. 

"How adorable Jason was as a child," Dick answered. 

"Ah yes. Totally normal topic. Continue." Tim was burying his head in Conner's chest barely muffling his laughter. 

"Stop laughing," Jason hissed and pinched Tim. He barely pulled his arm back before Tim's fingers darted out lightning fast. He stepped back when Tim turned to him. His hands raised as Tim moved forward. 

"No," Conner said wrapping Tim up in a hug, effectively trapping his arms at his side. "You're at a gala. No pinch fights." 

"He started it," Tim whined. 

"Get him back later. When he doesn't expect it." Tim stuck his tongue out at him and Jason smirked.

"How old are you again?" Dick asked after Conner had pulled Tim away to the dessert bar. 

"Shut up," he grumbled and pushed Dick's drink over to him. 

-

Dick was smiling at him when he opened the door. He held up a six pack and walked toward the fridge. "I like pineapple on my pizza." 

Jason sighed and shut the door. 

Dick was terrible at every video game they played. Jason finally set down the controller when Dick drove off rainbow road three times in a row. 

"How can you be so bad?" he asked. He grabbed another slice of pizza. "Lian is better than you. And she's five." 

"I never had any of these growing up okay?" Dick sounded a little defensive. 

"Okay. So board games?" he asked. Dick's shoulders relaxed and he agreed. 

"Does he have dreamy eyes?" Dick asked. He looked down at his card. 

"I guess," Jason shrugged. Dick frowned and looked at his board before flicking down a single person. "Does he look like you might see him in a police station?" 

Dick chuckled and nodded. He flipped down a few cards. 

"Does he look like he'd treat you right?" Dick asked. 

"Yes," Jason replied rolling his eyes. He looked at the remaining character cards. "Does he look like every generic officer in any cop show from the 90s?" 

Dick shook his head. He flipped down the one card he'd been hoping it was. 

"Does he look like he'd bring you over for a date and surprise you with a candle lit dinner and cheesecake." 

"Yes," Jason answered. "Does he look like he was on an episode of to catch a predator?" 

"Yes," Dick answered looking dismayed when Jason knocked down all but one card. Dick looked at the array of cards in front of him then up at Jason and in a desperate voice asked, "Is your person Tony?"

"Yes! Dammit." 

"He'd make us spaghetti because it's my favorite and we'd listen to opera as we looked out over the sunset. We'd have a destination wedding in Tuscany on his family's vineyard," Dick said and leaned back in his chair as he plucked Jason's card off of the board to look at it. 

"Okay. You're done with that," he said and took Dick's beer. He flipped his board back up and reached for the box with the character cards when he saw the clock. "Shit. Is it really that late?" 

Dick hummed and tilted his head back against the couch. 

"Do you want me to call you a cab? You can stay here if you want. The couch pulls out." Dick shrugged with a lazy smile on his face. 

"Okay. So let's get you up." 

He got the bed made and Dick somewhat tucked into it, his foot was hanging off the edge, but he refused to move so Jason left it. 

"Hey Jay, I'm gonna call you Jay now. Where's Kori?"

"She's working."

"She's been working a lot," Dick said through a yawn. 

"I know," he replied. "Go to sleep, you lush." 

-

Tim shrieked and shut the laptop. He ignored his angry yell and fell down across the foot of his bed. "Fucking knock you douche," Tim said kicking him with his socked foot. 

"I think I just got dumped." 

"What?" Tim asked, setting the laptop away and scooting forward. 

"Kori took a job in San Francisco." 

"Okay?" Tim said, dragging out the word to get him to continue. 

"She just texted me and told me that she was moving in a week."

"She texted you?" 

"Yeah. I mean I should tell her that we can stay together right? Do long distance. Fight for her?" 

"Honestly? Let her go," Tim said after a few moments. 

"Why?" He sat up, anger burning away some of the sadness. 

"Because she _texted_ you to tell you she was moving." 

"And?" Jason snapped. 

"She took a job across the country."

"And? Con got a job in Metropolis."

"Yeah. And he told me about it before he even applied. And we talked about it for two months before he took it. We made plans for how we were going to stay together. We talked about how good it would be for our future. Because we _wanted_ to make sure that we were going to last." 

"So I just got dumped." 

Tim crawled to the end of the bed and flopped next to him. "Yeah, big brother. You did." 

"This sucks," he said and draped an arm over his face. 

Tim didn't say anything, just laid next to him. 

"I don't want to move back to the manor," he groaned when his throat didn't feel so tight. 

"You could get your own place." 

"My name lives with Roy. I don't want them to look into that. Fuck. I'm going to have to tell Roy. What if he picks her?" 

Tim pinched him high on the inside of his arm and he yelped. "Don't be stupid. He's your best friend. You're Lian's godfather." 

"That hurt," Jason mumbled without anything else to say. 

\---

Dick was surprised when Kori called him. They had always been close ever since college and spoke regularly-- but since he had moved back to town she had kept her distance. He knew that she worked a lot and had been traveling, but had just assumed that she was keeping her distance because Jason didn't like him. But now that he and Jason were fine and had even been on three full friend dates with just the two of them, he was honestly surprised that she hadn't called sooner. 

"Hello stranger," he answered with a smile big enough that Barbara raised an eyebrow at him. He waved a hand at her to say he would tell her after. "I was starting to think you forgot about me." 

"That is not possible." She sighed like it was some terrible burden. "You are extremely hard to forget, Richard."

That hit him oddly but he shrugged it off. "It's my super power," he offered and checked the speed gun as a mustang sped past. They were only three miles over. He sat back in his seat waiting for the day to get interesting. "What's up beautiful?" 

She didn't say anything for long enough that he almost asked if she was still there. "Are you doing anything on Tuesday night?" She asked finally. "There is a lot going on and I need someone to talk to about… everything." 

He frowned at that. "I'm free. Is everything okay?" 

"I think so," she told him and he believed her. She had always been an open book and he could hear that something was wrong, but not _big_ wrong. 

"Okay, then I'll see you Tuesday. I'll come by right after work."

-

Tuesday was busier than he thought and Dick ended up getting off an hour after his scheduled end time. He didn't bother changing as he headed to Kori and Jason's apartment. He knew that if this ended up being a longer thing he lived close enough to come home and change. 

He put on his sunglasses before he knocked on the door, trying to fix his 'serious look' into place before Kori pulled the door open. 

"Good afternoon ma'am," he said making his voice intentionally deeper, hand resting on his belt. "I'm here to check in about a noise complaint." He pulled down his glasses and grinned at her. She laughed shaking her head at him. 

"How often do you get mistaken for a stripper?" She asked closing the door when he stepped in. 

He made a face at that and tucked his glasses into the front of his shirt. "More often than I am comfortable with," he admitted and jumped when she hugged him around his neck. 

Dick frowned hugging her back, giving her a little squeeze when she didn't let go. "What's wrong, Star? This isn't like you." 

She was crying when she pulled away from him and he led her over to the couch, taking a minute to look around at the state of the apartment. Everything was in boxes and what wasn't was in strange piles that had no rhyme or reason to it. He grabbed the box of tissues off of the coffee table and sat next to her, letting her collect herself before he started his inquisition. 

"You getting a new place?" He asked trying to keep it light but that just made it worse and she started crying all over again. She leaned on his shoulder and blew her nose as Dick rubbed her back and told her it was fine, talking nonsense until he said something stupid enough to make her laugh. It snapped her enough out of it to talk to him. 

"I got offered my dream job," she told him, smiling so wide despite her watery eyes. 

Dick didn't understand the problem. As long as Dick had known her, Kori had been trying to be a linguist. She had taken certification after certification and been denied from the army because of something on her record. He knew she had been trying to get some kind of government clearance, but she never told him how it had gone. "Star-- that's great!" He told her wondering how she wasn't more excited about this. "You've been working so hard! I can't-"

"The job is in San Francisco," she told him. 

Now he understood the tears. 

"Oh," was all he managed to say for a moment, a small ping of sadness hitting him. But Kori was sad enough and he wasn't about to cause more of that. "That's still amazing!" He tried to cheer her up, but her lip quivered and he scooted closer to hug her again. "Hey, stop that," he said softly. "It's okay to be scared. But we all know how hard you've worked for this. So what if you are a little further away? I lived away from all you guys for five years and we stayed close. I talk to Wally every day." 

"It is not the same and you know it." She sniffed and pushed off of his shoulder. "You are you. It's impossible to forget you, you are just… so genuine." She leaned a little closer to him and Dick pulled his brows in. "And kind." She put a hand on his chest. "You always make me feel like I can do anything…" she said so softly that if she wasn't two inches from his face he wouldn't have heard her. 

He put a hand on her shoulder to stop her and stood up, taking a few steps back. She was still leaned in to where he had been as she watched him. He didn't know what to say for a minute, his head swimming. "What are you doing?" He asked her. "What about Jason, Star?"

"We broke up." She stood up. "It just wasn't working," she told him earnestly as she stepped toward him. "It was never easy like it was with you and me." 

"That doesn't mean it was bad," he told her moving across the room from her again. "He loves you!"

"Well, maybe I don't love him!" She almost yelled at him and then her eyes got soft. "Maybe I still love you."

Dick shook his head. "You don't love me, Star. You're just scared."

"I do," she told him furiously. "Come to San Francisco with me." He didn't even know what to say, so she jumped on his silence. "You are a cop, you can get a job anywhere. We don't even have to tell anyone, you can just come with me."

"No," Dick told her, "I can't. Jason is my friend."

She laughed at that. "He doesn't even like you!" She told him. "Would you really throw this away for him?" She asked now close enough that she could reach out and touch him. She ran a hand down his arm and squeezed his hand. 

Dick pulled it away from her. "I don't know Jason very well yet," he admitted, "but I know that he doesn't deserve that." The way that her face crumpled almost killed him but he couldn't do this. They had been together for a long time, but there was a reason they broke up, the same reason she broke up with Jason. He knew how that felt and he knew that Jason needed a friend more than Kori needed a boyfriend. "I'm so happy for you, Star," he told her and kissed her forehead before he left her to gather her feelings and her belongings. 

-

Roy was staring at him open mouthed over his untouched coffee when Dick finished telling him what had happened with Kori. He had gone home to change and come straight over after, unable to sit still. "I can't believe it," he said finally looking down at his mug. "I knew something was going on, but…" he shook his head and rubbed at his eyes. "This is going to kill Jason."

"You can't tell him," Dick told Roy. He had almost called Jason when he left the apartment but after he dialed the number he thought better of it. There was no reason to make Jason feel worse with something that didn't and wasn't going to happen. So he came to see Roy instead. "But you do have to go drinking with him." He looked at his watch. "Like now."

Roy made a face. "Why me?"

"Because I suck at drinking." Dick sighed. "And you are the number two best friend. You outrank me. Which makes you the obvious choice for drinking." Roy looked back at Lian's room and Dick laughed. "Besides, I think my number one best friend is about to have a tea party that I have to go to. Really it's the event of the season," he said standing up. 

"You know you are a good guy, Grayson?" 

"Yeah yeah, Good Guy Grayson. That's me." He smiled but frowned when Roy turned away, dialing Jason. For someone everyone kept saying was a good guy, he sure felt like shit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone and welcome back to this weeks installment of loosers who don't know they are flirting. 
> 
> The Plato line is litterally my favorite pick up line probably of all time. My husband told me he had never had a pick up line used on him when we started dating so I did what every mature adult would do. I drew him a stick note doodle version of it and stuck it in his pocket and he kept it for four years. It now hands in our bathroom so that he can look at it first thing every morning. ♡ 
> 
> We hope you enjoy the chapter and we will see you again next week!!


	3. Chapter 3

Marge took one look at Jason and told him to sit down. He tried to wave her off, but she dragged him around the counter and pushed him into the chair next to hers. A cup of tea and a stack of cookies that Tim had dropped off that morning appeared in front of him. 

"What happened?" she asked. He looked at her and even as he shook his head, it came tumbling out. Roy had taken him out the night before even if Jason had wanted nothing more than lay on the floor of his room at the manor. He'd gotten drunk and all of it had hurt a little less. Tim had been right, like he always was. He'd grabbed Roy's hand after he'd left him tucked in on his couch and asked if they were still friends. Roy had looked at him like he was crazy for a while before nodding and telling him that he'd never get rid of him. 

"You poor thing. You should have taken today off."

"Then I wouldn't see you," he said with a strained smile. She pat his cheek. 

"Foolish boy." She talked with him for the next few hours about all the break ups she'd had in her life. He had thought that the topic would have made him feel worse, but he ended up laughing with her as she told him about her second husband. 

-

"Go away," he yelled through the door. 

A knock followed. He stared at the door before going back to his book. The troubles of Heathcliff and Catherine made his seem small. Another knock came and he put his bookmark in before swinging the door open and snapping, "What?" 

Dick was standing in the hallway holding a six pack. "You missed our date." He stared at Dick's smile. Even forced it was still brighter than most. 

"I'm not going to be good company," Jason said but took the beer from Dick's hands.

"You're never good company," Dick poked and Jason relaxed. His parents kept staring at him like he was going to explode or start roaming the halls weeping at the drop of a hat. "Nice posters," Dick commented as he walked into the room. Jason hesitated before shutting the door. Being back at home kept making him feel like he was back in high school and had to keep his door open when his friends were over. It didn't matter who was over, and while neither Jason or Tim had actually had any of _those_ kind of friends in high school the rule had been enforced. 

"Thanks? I went through a phase." He looked at the heavy metal posters covering every inch of his walls. "My dad's a sentimental idiot and refuses to change our rooms when we move out." The last time he'd been here he was 18 and dying to get out into the world. 

"The only thing my parents kept of mine when I left was my stuffed elephant. Not that I had a lot." Dick shrugged and grabbed a beer before sinking down into the bean bag chair tucked into the corner. It deflated with his weight and puffs of the filling floated out of a tear. Dick didn't seem to care. 

"So what do you want to do today?" 

"The same thing we do every day Pinky." 

"Try and take over the world?" Dick recited back with a grin. Jason caught himself grinning at him. They talked about what their plan for global domination would be. Then about desert islands. By the time Tim got back they had finished their second beers and were bickering over whether a lion would beat a shark if the lion could swim. 

"Is this what you two do?" Tim asked stealing the beer Jason had just opened and flopping next to him on the bed. 

"Sometimes we play games," Dick volunteered. 

"And Dick loses horribly."

-

"Why don't you ask Dick?" Tim said a week later when Jason was pacing back and forth in his room. He wanted out. He was tired of feeling like a kid. He'd gotten scolded for not changing loads in the dryer that morning when he was leaving for work and it had been his breaking point. 

"Ask him what?" Jason asked, stopping in his pacing. 

"If you could live with him?" 

"I can't do that." 

"Why not? He lives like two blocks from the shop. I doubt he'd care if you forgot to change loads. And he'd stop complaining to me about how much take out he's eating." Tim grumbled under his breath about how _not fat_ Dick was. 

"I'm not going to invite myself to live with someone." 

"Fine. I'll ask him." 

Jason made Tim promise that he wouldn't. 

But like most other promises Tim made Jason - he broke it and the next morning Tim smiled at him and said 'you're welcome' before taking the plate of pancakes from their dad and scarfing them down. 

He wasn't surprised when Dick walked into the store a few hours later. He was in uniform and a red headed woman walked in behind him. Dick waved at him. A kid who had been skulking around the store for the last hour darted past them out the door and Dick watched him leave with a bemused smile. 

"What are you doing here?" 

"Glad to see not everyone loves his brighter than the sun attitude," the woman chimed in. 

"Jason- Barbara, my partner. Who was supposed to stay in the car." 

"I'm not a dog. Plus I wanted to see this mystery guy you've been talking about." 

"Don't believe what he says," Jason told Barbara. 

"He's said some pretty good things," she replied with a smirk. 

"Then maybe believe some of it." He smiled back at her. 

"Oh God. Please stop," Dick groaned. When Jason and Barbara both turned to stare at him Dick turned to Jason. "Tim said you wanted out of your parents house but were too stubborn to ask. I have a bedroom I'm not using. I meant to turn it into a spare, but right now there is just a bookshelf and a futon in it. So it's yours if you want it." 

He was a little surprised at how easily Dick was offering his apartment to him. "I'll think about it," he replied. 

"Okay. So where are my cookies?" Dick asked. Jason pointed him to the table that they were always on and chuckled when Dick ran to them in a perfect imitation of the Grinch. They got a call while Barbara was asking Jason how he met Dick and she walked out with a wave. Dick followed after her a stack of cookies in his hand. 

-

**JW:** Are you serious? 

**DG:** About? 

**JW:** My moving in with you.

**DG:** Yeah. I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't.

**JW:** I'll pay rent.

**DG:** Tim also promised me home-cooked meals. 

**JW:** Are we negotiating again?

**DG:** Always. 

**JW:** Fine. Rent and dinner. 

**DG:** I'll pay for groceries, but I hate going to the store.

**JW:** I'll clean if you do laundry. 

**DG:** Deal. 

Jason laughed when Dick sent him a handshake emoji. 

-

His mom took his moving back out about as good as he expected. Even halfway across the world he could tell that she was pouting. His dad had offered to help him move and then refused to take Jason's no as an answer. So Bruce was coordinating the movers in the garage while Selina told him that he could stay longer. He didn't know how to tell her that he didn't want to live at home. So he just told her that he'd call her when he finished getting moved in and would tell her all about the new neighborhood. 

Dick looked half asleep when he opened the door for them. Bruce walked in with a box of books. He motioned to ask where it went and Jason motioned down the hall as Dick yawned. 

"Sorry. He wanted to get an early start." 

"It's fine. Let me go find my shoes," Dick mumbled. Jason started the coffee pot sitting on the counter. 

"Wake up," he told him when he came back out in a hoodie and shoes. "And you don't have to help." 

It didn't take long for them to get what few belongings Jason actually had moved in. Dick only made it down to carry up a mop. 

"Let's go get some lunch," Bruce declared when the door shut behind the movers. All Jason wanted to do was unpack and get his books back out on their shelves, but he was outvoted and followed them back out. 

\---

Bruce was fascinating. Dick had read about him in the paper a few times and listened to Tim talk about his dad-- but all he had ever really gotten from that was them was that Bruce Wayne was the richest man in Gotham and cherries jubilee was his favorite icecream. Everything else was a pleasant surprise. 

It was much less uncomfortable speaking to Bruce without his wife there. Fortunately he was easily charmed by bad jokes and charisma. Dick could tell that Jason was miserable but that didn't keep him from asking about the time Bruce had spent overseas or what his first job had been, or how Jason and Tim had been as kids. 

"Okay, no," Jason butted in when his father grinned at the question. "I draw the line here, no talking about my childhood."

Dick held his chest in mock hurt. "Jay, we are roommates now. I have opened my home to you. If I can't have a simple conversation with your father about the worst moments of your life-- what kind of friendship is this?"

"A _normal_ one," gritted out. 

Dick frowned at him. "What is a _normal_ friendship exactly."

“One with boundaries,” Jason explained like he was talking to a small child. “And mine is you getting chummy with my parents and talking about my childhood.” 

Dick rolled his eyes at him and picked a fry off of his plate. “It’s like you are a reverse ghost. Your name belongs on a different lease and you will just stalk around my apartment bodily, burying yourself in all the memories that you refuse to share.” He nibbled on the fry as both of the Waynes stared openly at Dick. 

“That was incredibly poetic," Bruce told him, touching his arm as though he was moved by the sentiment. Dick smiled and put his hand over Bruce's and that was all it took to send Jason over the edge, jump out of his seat, claiming lunch officially over. 

-

Living with Jason was easy. He was clean, almost freakishly clean and he was pretty quiet most of the time. He liked to read and got so wrapped up in books that it was near impossible to distract him no matter how much of a fool Dick managed to make of himself on a daily basis. He cooked and spent most of his days at the bookstore. When he wasn't there, he was usually at his parents' place or in his room wiping it down like it wasn't already a dust free zone. It was not hard for Dick to adjust to Jason. 

However, it was painfully obvious how difficult it was for Jason to get used to Dick. 

Dick had never had a roommate before, even in college the kid never ended up moving in so he'd had a room to himself before he moved into his own apartment off campus. He was used to doing as he pleased and those habits were difficult to break now that he had someone living across the hall from him. Jason was disgusted by his eating habits but, try as he might, he couldn't teach Dick how to boil water without making the entire apartment billow in smoke. He attempted to get Dick to start running with him, but he hated cardio. Dick had tried to get Jason into the horrible reality TV shows he loved but Jason looked as though he'd rather jump out a window. They tried adjusting to each other and adapting to each other habits-- but as the first two weeks of their arrangement passed, it was painfully obvious that they were about as opposite as two people could be. 

Dick didn't break his pose when he heard Jason's key in the door and it opened and he blinked at him like he was insane. 

"What are you doing?" He demanded in almost disgust.

"Scorpion pose." Dick grinned at him and itched the top of his head with his toe. 

Jason blanched. "Well stop," he told him and kicked the door shut. "And for the love of god, put a shirt on."

Dick unfolded himself while Jason stormed into the kitchen to make himself busy. One of the many things Dick had learned about his new roommate was that he was extremely uncomfortable with nakedness. 

"All the skin making it hard to concentrate?" He asked as he rolled up his mat.

That earned him a glare. "Not yours."

"How would you even know?" Dick scoffed, "You've never gotten to touch it." Jason looked like he wanted to throw the knife he just pulled out at him, but ignored Dick instead. "You know, it's completely normal to be attracted to someone of the same sex," he started. "It might feel weird at first, but eventually-"

"I swear to god if you mention my brother…" Jason warned him.

Dick held up his hands. "Okay, okay, I'm changing. Relax."

-

They bickered. It was kind of their thing. Jason insisted that it wasn't their thing, because they didn't have a _thing_ , but everyone else seemed to agree. Roy told Jason they were practically married the first time he came over and got chased out of the apartment. Tim offered to do a double wedding with him and Jason just about exploded. 

Dick could tell that he was just about ready to repack his boxes and leave by the time the third week rolled around, so he did his best on Sunday morning to not burn pancakes before he left for work. Jason looked suspicious when he came out of his room and there was coffee waiting for him on the counter and the fruit that he cut when the pancakes didn't work out like he wanted them too. Dick sipped at his own coffee and brushed a little flour off his uniform as he flipped through the paper. 

"What is this?" Jason finally asked when he couldn't stand the build up to nothing anymore. 

"Breakfast." Dick frowned like that should have been obvious. 

Jason rolled his eyes. "I get that," he told him, every word a chore. "But you don't even eat breakfast… so why?" 

Dick folded up the paper and sighed as he checked his watch. "This is my trying. I'm _trying_ to be a good roommate and start your day a little better than yesterday." He rinsed out his mug and smiled at Jason's dumbfounded expression. "I will see you after work," he told him and kissed his cheek before Jason could stop him on the way to the door. 

-

Jason didn't hate living with Dick. It actually reminded him a lot of living with Kori. The only real difference was that Kori had taken his cooking lessons and managed to perfect two recipes. So if he came home tired he knew that they'd be having spaghetti or roasted chicken and vegetables. He didn't like being reminded of his ex, especially not when his friends kept joking that he and Dick were together. Each similarity reminded him that Dick had dated Kori too. Jason knew that Kori and Dick had dated in college. Everyone did. They were _the_ couple. He knew how surprised everyone had been when they had broken up. He'd known that before he dated Kori, and it was even more obvious after they'd broken up. He could see some of her habits in Dick. It felt weird. 

As he listened to Roy talk about his day, he thought back to meeting Kori for the first time. He'd been running the store for a few months. Roy had dragged him out to a bar, claiming he needed a wingman. He'd bumped into Kori on his way to the bathroom. She hadn't recognized him. He hadn't really expected her to. It had been a few years and they were on opposite edges of their friend group. When he'd gotten back to Roy he'd told him and Roy had joked that he should go ask her out. He had, alcohol and Roy's taunts finally pushing him over to her, and surprising both Roy and himself, Kori had told him he was cute and danced with him. He didn't remember much else about that night. But she'd called him the next day demanding that he honor his promise to make her the best chocolate cake in the known universe. Dating after that had been easy. Maybe it had been too easy. 

He rummaged through the utensils drawer cursing Dick. "Who needs six can openers?" he growled dropping yet another on the counter. 

"Dick. Because of all the cooking he does. Obviously," Roy said chuckling. 

"His spaghettios are a pull top now. He opened three in his excitement then made me help him eat them."

"You've been cooking a lot lately." 

"I have to eat." 

"You made beef bourguignon last week. That's more than making dinner. You're funk cooking." 

"No I'm not."

"Did you tell Tim about your fancy stew?" He turned back to the drawer and didn't answer. "Exactly. Because you know that he'd stage a delicious intervention." 

"I'm not 'funk' cooking. And I really wish you didn't call it that." 

"Cooking cause you're sad and bored. Does that sound better." He shot him a look. Roy raised an eyebrow asking him to dispute it. 

"I watched Julie and Julia twice last week," he admitted. "Dick came home as I was starting Eat Pray Love." 

"Damn. I don't know how I let it get this bad." 

"You've been busy." 

"Well now we definitely have to stage an intervention."

"I'll bring macaroons," Jason offered when he found the right mixer attachment. 

-

The intervention didn't happen. But Tim did start dragging him out random places with him. Dick and Roy tagged along when they weren't working. 

Tim watched the Go-Karts speed by as they ate their nachos. "Maybe you should try dating again." 

"You bring this up when we're surrounded by eleven year olds?" 

"Shut up. But seriously. It might help you get over her. It doesn't have to be anything serious." 

"How am I supposed to meet anyone? Going out is too much effort. I'm not going to make Roy go with me, Dick would be a disaster and everyone ends up talking to you anyway.

"I'm not as hot. It's easier to talk to me." 

"Right," he mumbled. Their group was up next. He shoved a few chips into his mouth trying to finish them before their race. 

"Actually, I have a friend that I think you'd get along with." 

"Have I met her?" 

"I don't think so." 

Their group was called and the conversation dropped. 

A few weeks passed before Tim texted him asking if he'd thought about going on the date.

"Blind dates are terrible ideas right?" He asked. Dick was folded in on himself doing some complicated pose in the corner of the room. 

"I don't know. I think they are like any other date. It depends on the person. I've been on a few blind dates. They were actually pretty fun." 

"Tim wants me to go on a date with this girl."

"Ooh. Are you dating again?" 

"He thinks I should." He shrugged. He wasn't really interested, but he knew Tim was probably right. 

"Tell me about this girl." 

He didn't know much. She worked at a Community Center downtown. She taught dance to the kids there. 

As he got ready for his date his phone went off. "Can you look at that?" he asked. He held up his hands to show the goo still covering them as he tried to get his hair to behave. 

Dick grabbed his phone and read the message. " _I'm not canceling, but one of my friends needs a night out. Would you mind if she came along_?" 

"Can I bring a friend too?" Dick asked and he heard the little noise of a text getting sent. He turned to look at him when the phone chimed again. "She asked if I was hot. Am I hot, Jason?" 

"Tell her you look like Shrek." 

"Shrek in the second one after he drinks the potion maybe." Dick sent another message. Jason gave up on his hair. It wasn't cooperating. He held his hand out and Dick reluctantly handed him his phone back. ' _He's alright. I guess.'_ was sitting on the screen above her. _'See you in a few.'_ Dick grinned at him and headed off to get changed. 

Dick asked him if he was nervous while they waited outside the restaurant. He stopped pacing and shook his head. He wasn't nervous. Why would he be nervous? When he heard a quiet, "Jason?" he turned. 

Cassandra was a head shorter than him. She was small, but strong. He winced when she shook his hand with a crooked smile. He felt like an idiot when Dick snickered. 

"This is Shawn," Cassandra offered. "She had a rough week." 

"We'll fix that," Dick said and shook her hand with a grin at Jason. "I'm Dick." 

Shawn snorted. 

Dinner was pretty quiet. Cassandra didn't talk much and Jason didn't know what to say. Dick and Shawn didn't seem to be having any trouble. Shawn was smiling at Dick as she leaned forward and twirled the long blue stripe in her hair. 

"Tim said you own a bookstore?" Cassandra asked after their food came. He nodded. "So you love books? What's your favorite." 

He had a few, but struggled to come up with an answer. When he asked Cass her answer they finally got on a topic they both could talk about. They spent the rest of dinner talking about books they'd read and tropes they loved. 

Shawn was aggressive. Dick could feel her hand on his knee the entire dinner, sliding steadily closer to his inseam with each course. He sipped at his drink and put his hand over hers to keep it from going any closer, laughing at something Jason said across the table to take some of the sting of it away. 

"He's lying," he told Cassandra. "Jason is totally Elizabeth Bennett. He's angry in all the best ways. He needs a Darcy." 

Cass grinned at him, "And are you Mr. Darcy?"

Jason snorted and rolled his eyes. "Dick is Bingley," he said like it was obvious and they spent the better part of the next hour deciding what characters they were from classic novels. 

Dinner went better than expected and Shawn didn't want the night to end. She kept hinting about the bar down the street, but Cassandra didn't seem interested and when Jason led them out, Shawn hastily scribbled her number on a dinner napkin and tucked it into the pocket of Dick's jacket. "Call me later, Officer." She winked at him and ran after Cass who had already hugged Jason and started back down the street. 

He could feel Jason watching him as Shawn looked over her shoulder at them and turned to his friend. " _Officer_?" He demanded in utter disgust.

Dick shrugged and looped his arm through Jason's, pulling him down the street with him before he could complain about being touched. "I _am_ an officer," he said simply. "I can't help if my profession makes me more attractive."

"It doesn't," Jason promised him, but didn't pull his arm away. "If anything, it just makes you more annoying." 

"Are you jealous?" Dick teased. 

"No," Jason snapped too quickly. 

Dick grinned at that. "Good. Because you know your job is pretty sexy too." He got a laugh out of that that made him feel like he'd won one of their stupid board games. He had made it one of his personal missions to get a genuine smile out of Jason at some point and he could feel it coming. "I'm serious!" Dick nudged him. "You have that whole hot librarian thing going, but at a new level. The grumpy yet disgruntled rich kid who shunned the family business to open a book store and share his love of words with the world-" 

"How often do you talk to my dad?" Jason groaned. 

"I got this from your mom," he continued. "And she completely agrees by the way. But she says you look even more handsome with your glasses. Why haven't I seen those?"

"Because you wake up so late." He shoved him and Dick laughed this time. 

"My point is, " Dick continued, "this is the first date you've been on in who even knows how long. You're hot. You're funny and sometimes you're even kind of _nice_. Eventually you will be someone's hot librarian." He shrugged and gave Jason arm a little squeeze. 

Jason sighed, and when he looked at Dick he didn't look like he completely hated him. "Stop talking to my parents, it's weird." 

Dick grinned and leaned his head in Jason's shoulder. "I make no promises."

-

Jason was determined to make Dick understand cooking. He waited to start dinner until he was off shift every night and forced him to come and watch him and try to help him when it couldn't destroy the meal. Sometimes he wasn't home until nine or ten, sometimes later, but Jason always waited. 

They had just pulled up to the station when a call came in for back up at a drug store down the street. Barbara frowned and answered the call. It had been a long day. They had two domestic violence calls and a wellness check that had ended badly. He'd spent most of the evening consoling the man's daughter as the coroners came in and took care of the scene. 

"Got time for one more?" She asked without really asking as she flipped on the siren. 

"Always," he told her and they pulled out. 

-

He nudged open the door at around midnight wincing a little as he dropped his bag by the door, harder than he meant to. Jason was passed out on the couch and jumped, a little startled by the noise. His face tightened up immediately when he saw the sheepish look Dick gave him. But it fell off when he got the whole picture. 

"What happened to you?" Jason demanded, his voice was still scratchy from being asleep. It made it sound rougher than Dick was sure he meant. 

Dick shrugged and then winced and lowered his shoulder slowly. "Nothing," he told him easily, like he wasn't in a sling. "I'm totally fine. I got shot in a robbery towards the end of my shift, but we caught the guy and it went straight through the muscle, so it's good. I'll only be out for like two weeks." Jason just stared at him until Dick felt uncomfortable and struggled out of his gun belt and hung it by the door. "Well, I'm starving. Did you get tired of waiting for me for once and cook?" 

He walked to the kitchen and went through the fridge. They still had half a casserole from a few days before. Dick pulled it out and set it on the counter where Jason had just walked up. He popped off the lid and pulled a fork out of the drawer before he pushed himself onto the counter with one arm and took the most giant bite that he could. 

Jason shook his head at him in disgust and took the container away. "What kind of monster are you?" He demanded and ignored Dick's groan when he cut out a piece and put it in the microwave for him. He stood with his back to Dick while he waited for it, the tension in his shoulders telling Dick he had something to say. Jason set the plate down hard in front of Dick and glared at him. "So were you going to call and tell me you got shot? Or did you really just plan on me finding out when we woke up tomorrow?" 

Dick blinked at him, mouth hanging open. "I…" he had never felt so speechless in his life. He was about to say he hadn't meant anything by it when the anger radiating off of Jason finally hit him. "Are you… mad at me?"

Jason rolled his eyes and shoved away from the counter. "No."

"You are totally mad at me," Dick accused and jumped off the counter. "You're mad that I didn't call and tell you I got shot." He grinned but it fell fast when Jason turned to frown at him. "Why? You can hardly stand me anyway."

"That doesn't mean I want you to get shot and die." 

"I'm a cop in Gotham." Dick brushed that away. "If I haven't been shot once, I'm not doing my job. And I wasn't anywhere close to dying. You just-" he stopped and blinked at Jason. "You _love_ me a little."

Jason eyes widened, "No. No, that's not-" 

"You do!" Dick grinned. "You tried so hard to resist my charm and at some point you fell for my boyish ways. You friend love me!"

"Okay, fine!" Jason shouted and threw his hands up. "I _care_ about you. You are my... _friend,_ " he said finally and shook his head. "I'm fucking furious that you didn't call me and tell me you were shot, and I think you are an idiot. But I _care_ , okay. So go eat your fucking casserole and tell me what happened, damnit." 

Dick watched Jason fume at him for a minute and turned back to the kitchen, feeling his eyes widen as he jumped back onto the counter. He hadn't expected that. Well, he'd kind of expected for Jason to blow up but he didnt think that hearing it would make his chest feel so tight. Jason followed him and pulled a few beers out of the fridge. He glared at Dick as he set one in front of him, eyes telling Dick that drinking it was not optional. After he'd gotten through his first one, Jason seemed to feel a little better and finally spoke up. "So tell me you at least shot him back."

Dick chuckled. "Believe it or not, GCPD doesn't encourage their officers to play gun tag."

"Didn't you just tell me that your unit went laser tagging for a work outing the other day."

" _Lethal_ gun tag," Dick amended and told Jason the story. 

\---

"This is cheating," Dick groaned. 

"You're the one that wanted to play Slap Jack." 

"I wasn't thinking," Dick grumbled as he looked at the two cards sitting on the table in front of him. "You could let me win. I'm injured." 

Jason ignored the pout shot his way and touched his card. He knew Dick had the last Jack. He'd gotten lucky a few rounds ago when he'd been slapping every card trying to win a single stack. 

Dick shifted his shoulders like he was facing off against an opponent and stared at him as he touched the corner of his card. He snickered unable to hold eye contact. 

"You afraid?" Dick taunted. "One armed man's going to take you down." 

He rolled his eyes and grabbed the card. They flipped and Dick slammed his hand down… on a 2. He groaned as he flipped his sacrifice card over. 

"Let's play something else," Dick whined. 

"Mario Kart?" 

"Fuck you," Dick hissed and pushed up with his one arm. His hand slipped off the edge and he nearly brained himself on the table. His finger was up and he told Jason to shut up before he could say anything. "Checkers," Dick decided. "Or Chess. I haven't played Chess in a while." 

They ended up playing Chess and Jason stared as his queen was captured. 

"That's check right?" Dick asked with a smile. 

"What." He stared at the board. 

"You're really bad at chess," Dick offered. "Do you want to start again? Or maybe checkers?" 

"Again." 

He lost again. 

And again. 

"Okay. How are you beating me?" 

"I play chess with your dad."

"What?" 

"I get really bored sometimes. And the app has a chat function." Dick smiled broadly at him. "You play a lot like him actually." 

"I thought I told you to stop talking to my parents." He groaned and let his head fall to the table. Dick pat the back of his head. 

"Accept our friendship, Jason. It cannot be denied." 

"I hate you," he grumbled. 

"No you don't. You _care_ about me," Dick sang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have a chapter note because my brain is mush. But we found this chapter a lot more amusing than we thought we would. Hope that you enjoy it and everyone go see Birds of Prey!
> 
> Love,  
> Your fic moms.


	4. Chapter 4

Jason found out that a Dick on medical leave was a bored Dick. He also found out that he very much wanted to shoot this bored version of Dick in the other shoulder after the first day. Instead he dragged him to the bookstore with him and shoved him down into a chair with a novel. Dick whined about not wanting to read, but Jason summoned up every ounce of his dignity, tossed it out the window and laid on the puppy dog eyes that had got him a 1971 Hemi Barracuda at 16 and told Dick that he wanted to share his favorite book with him so that they could be better friends. Dick had blushed, which Jason found amusing, and told him that 'he'd try' in a quiet voice. 

It took Dick the rest of the week to finish Pride and Prejudice. He spent one day just talking to Jason about the characters, and how he liked some better in the movie. He knew he was putting off reading it, but let Dick assign the characters to everyone that they knew. They bickered over a few and Margie joined in for a few even though she didn't know everyone that they were talking about. He was sitting on the counter as he read the last few words. Jason had given up telling him to get off of things. Dick was quiet when he was tucked up into odd spots. Jason had nearly screamed when he had walked into the store room and saw an arm hanging down from the top of one of the racks. He didn't know how Dick had squeezed himself into the space, but he was silent and reading so he'd left him. 

"Anything new this week?" A familiar voice called. He looked away from the page he'd been reading over Dick's shoulder. 

"A few books on tropical fish and another on those sharks you were raving about last time." Jason waved off to the reference section. He got a smile in response before he slipped back to his normal section. Dick had put the book down. 

"Who is that?" 

"Huh? Oh. Garth." 

"Have you been hiding him from me?" Dick asked leaning over on the counter so he could look down the aisle. Garth looked over and waved. Dick smiled and waved back before sitting back up. 

"No?" he replied. "He comes in a couple times a month. He owns a pet store a few blocks away." 

"Hmm… so he has a job. Oh look! He checked all the boxes," Dick said and drew a checkmark in the air. Jason grabbed him before he could slide off the counter. 

"Please don't hit on my patrons. I need him to come back." 

Dick frowned at him, and started pouting, but eventually relented and walked into the store room to 'get away from the temptation.'

Garth tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear as he walked out of the aisles and to the counter. Jason swore he saw him look around for a moment before setting the books down. 

-

How Dick got invited to their family dinner he didn't know and didn't think he wanted to know. Tim had started to ask, then seemed to realize all of the possible answers and what some of them meant and closed his mouth. He saw him shudder and whisper something to Conner before grabbing his glass of wine. 

Jason watched Dick. He talked to his dad about something that only they seemed to understand, then let his mom pull his attention. He kicked Tim and looked pointedly at the hand his mom had on Dick's leg and tried to convey his internal screaming. Conner snickered and the trio that hadn't been paying them any mind turned to the table. Tim coughed and downed the rest of his glass while Conner rubbed his back. Jason went back to his mashed potatoes. 

"They think we are fucking," Selina whispered in Dick's ear making him almost choke on his wine. Bruce pat his back and laughed as Selina touched his chin with her napkin, smiling proudly at the reaction she was able to elicit from him. "You should take that as a compliment, we don't invite just anyone into our marital bed."

"You haven't invited  _ me _ ," Dick sputtered still shocked. 

"Exactly." Bruce grinned at the two of them and Dick was too dazzled to say anything back. 

Selina saved him from trying to babble something out and turned the subject back to what they had been talking about. "So anyway, the real way to Jason's heart is to try to do what he likes."

Dick made a face. "I've tried to do what he likes. He just gets mad at me," he told her. "I can't cook without burning water or getting whatever we made all over myself. And he beats me at every board game. Except chess," he said pointing a look at Bruce. "I have to admit that Pride and Prejudice isn't as awful as I thought it would be." 

Selina snapped. "That. That's exactly it. All you need to really get Jason is to read his favorite books." She laughed and looked at her husband. "Remember how disappointed he was when Tim wouldn't read Animal Farm? He didn't talk to him for a week."

"To be fair, Tim was still mad that Jason told him Harry Potter was kind of lame." Dick made a face of surprise and hurt, putting a hand to his chest and Bruce held up his hands. "Kid likes what he likes. No changing that." He smirked when Jason showed up in front of them staring very unhappily at their closeness with his arms crossed over his chest. "Speak of the devil."

He rolled his eyes and fixed Dick with a look of his own. One that he was convinced could move mountains in sheer intimidation. "If you are done flirting with my parents, you have a doctor's appointment in the morning," he reminded him and then dropped the angry stare as he looked at his parents. "I have to take him home. See you next week?" 

"Of course," Selina said as they all stood and said their goodbyes. "We'll see you then too?" She asked Dick with a wicked smile. 

Jason looked like he might run his head into the wall but Dick couldn't help but agree.

-

"I think this might be the worst thing I have ever read," Dick said when Jason got home from the bookstore a few days later. He seemed genuinely surprised to see him laying upside down on the couch Animal Farm stretched out in front of him. 

"Uh, hi." He offered and kicked off his shoes by the door. 

"Hi," Dick said back curtly. "But seriously how do you like this?" 

"How do you not?" Jason countered and moved to sit next to him on the couch, pushing Dick's legs off of the back of it so that he had to twist and put his head in Jason's lap. He didn't complain. He was starting to get used to the closeness that was required to live with Dick, or maybe he was just too tired to argue with him anymore. He pulled the book out of Dick's hand and snorted before he dropped it back on his chest. "You're only on page seven?"

"And they had already  _ sang _ Beasts of England three times." Dick grumped and turned the page. "Three times, Jay! That is a full half page for each  _ singing _ of this stupid song that does nothing to move the story."

"It's their anthem." He could tell that Jason was suppressing a grin and he chased it. 

"It's a song  _ in a book _ ," Dick said finally. "Songs in books make no sense. Why write a song that no one will ever hear? You'll never get the full effect of a song, it's just a weird poem with a melody that you have to make up. And the melody I hear for this song is horrible."

Jason hesitated for a minute before he finally admitted, "I kind of want to hear it?"

Dick got the smile he'd been waiting on after he jumped up on the couch and warbled his very horrible rendition. It almost made having to read non existent music worth it.

-

By the time that Dick was cleared for active duty a week later he had finished Animal Farm and started a very boring biography on Abraham Lincoln. But that ended up being too difficult to read, so he picked Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter instead. He loved it. Jason rolled out of bed on Saturday to find Dick in the living room, completely abandoning his morning yoga to lay on the mat and thumb through the pages. He stopped and watched him confused for a minute until Dick reached a stopping point and looked up at him. 

"Okay, I love this," he told him and flashed the front cover at him. "Would it be super horrible of me to want the President to fuck Henry?" 

Jason's face went red and he snatched the book up from him, ignoring Dick's disgruntled retort. "Where did you get this?" He demanded. Dick raised an eyebrow and pointed to the shelf on the wall and Jason palmed his face. "I told dad not to put it up…" he grumbled under his breath before he tossed it back to him and marched into the kitchen to the coffee maker. 

Dick went back to yoga and forced himself not to watch Jason as he pushed his legs over his head. "You know, for a straight guy, you sure read a lot of homosexuality charged novels." 

Jason choked on his coffee and laughed. "What?"

Dick would have shrugged but his legs were resting on his shoulders so he flattened his feet instead. "You can't tell me that Henry isn't fang over wings for Abe," he told him, "And Song of Achilles?" He rolled over and held his hands over his heart. "That's one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever read."

The red in Jason's cheeks didn't go away, but he stared at the wall as he said, "I can enjoy a great love story without being attracted to men, Richard."

Dick pushed himself up and climbed over the counter so that he was sitting in front of him. "Are you seriously telling me that you read that beautiful book about two hot warriors getting it on-- and never once have you been a little curious about what it would be like?" He jumped off the counter and took the coffee mug out of Jason's hand taking a sip and coughing. "Oh my god, how much sugar did you put in that?"

Jason ignored the last part and took his coffee back. "No, I haven't." 

Dick sighed and pulled a new mug out of the cabinet and poured his own glass. "Maybe you just haven't found your Achilles yet," he said shaking his head mournfully as he sunk into the warmth of sugarless goodness. 

\---

Jason was drunk. 

He didn't really know how it had happened. He'd been sitting with Conner at the bar across from the theater waiting for Tim to get off work so they could all go to a movie. It had been silent, then a waitress had nearly shoved her boobs into Conner's face and they'd ordered drinks just to get her to leave. Then they'd ordered a couple more. 

Conner did the best imitation of Tim. He didn't know if it was the alcohol or his nose wrinkle, but Jason broke down giggling and shoved his face into his shoulder. Conner laughed. 

"You guys laugh the same. How did I never notice that?" 

"Because I am a sourpuss with no sense of humor," he recited. He took another long drink and sighed. 

"That's not true," Conner said. "Tim's just not as funny as he thinks he is." 

Jason burst out laughing. "I'm gonna tell him you said that." 

"Noooo," Conner whined. "He'll sulk for a month. I swear. I told him that his Love Robot shirt looked tight and he spent the next two months snarkily reminding me about the time I called him fat." 

"You dated girls before Tim right?" 

"Uh. Yeah?" Conner answered with a raised eyebrow. 

"You liked them?"

"Yes. That is why I dated them." 

"But you like Tim too." 

"Yes. I like Tim. You do remember I am marrying him right?" 

"Yes," he snapped. "I'm not stupid." 

Conner just watched him.

"So how'd you...  _ know _ you liked Tim?" 

Conner smiled. "I was at a party with this girl I liked. We'd been dancing, mostly, and then I bumped into Tim. We were barely friends at that point, but I don't know. I was just really happy to see him. And the girl didn't really matter anymore. He started ranting at me about some movie, I don't even remember what it is anymore, but he was all flushed from the shitty beer he'd been drinking and just so damn beautiful."

Jason had his head propped on his hand as he leaned on the table and watched Conner. 

"I was a little drunk and when my date finally bailed, I kissed him. I'd had thoughts about guys before, but nothing like that. So I spent the next two weeks freaking out before Tim finally confronted me." 

"I wanted to punch you so bad."

"I probably would have let you." 

"You still like girls though?" 

"I guess?" Conner shrugged. Like it didn't really matter and it really didn't. "There a reason you're asking?"

"No," he drawled. Then hesitated. "No. No reason." 

"Right," Conner said and pat his shoulder. He felt the buzz on the table and looked down as Conner's phone lit up with a notification. "Tim's free now. He said he'd meet us over there." 

Conner caught the waitresses attention and they closed out. Jason caught his arm before they left. 

"You can't tell Tim we talked about this," he pleaded. "Bros before - well that doesn't work. He's my literal bro. This bro before that bro. Okay?" Conner stared at him for a few seconds then nodded. 

Tim laughed at them when they walked up, Conner half holding Jason up. He knew his face was red and he felt hot all over. The movie theater was dark and cold though and he didn't even make it through the trailers before he fell asleep. 

-

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tim asked. 

"Yes Dad." 

"Fine. Fall down the stairs. See if I care." 

"I'm not drunk. I'm just tired." Tim rolled his eyes. He ignored him. "Bye Conner," he called. 

"Bye!" Conner yelled back from the driver's seat. 

Dick was still up when he made it through the door. He was reading another one of Jason's books. He had thought that Dick's obsession with reading would have ended when he went back to work, but it hadn't. He'd never had anyone put so much effort into getting to know him. He wasn't sure he liked it. 

"How was the movie?" Dick asked when he fell into the couch next to him. 

"I don't know," he answered honestly and leaned over to see where Dick was in the book. His head rested on Dick's shoulder. "I love this part," his voice cracked with a yawn. "My eyes hurt. Read it to me."

Dick chuckled. "Okay?" He closed his eyes and listened as Bilbo and company escaped the Goblin King and saw the Lonely Mountain for the first time. He fell asleep between one word and the next. 

-

"What can you tell me about the hot cop that comes in here every week?" 

"I don't know who you're talking about," Jason answered flipping through the catalog. Helena punched him. "I thought school teachers were supposed to be kind hearted people." 

"I am. To children. Not to assholes that won't tell me about my potential soul mate." 

He scoffed. "Dick isn't your soul mate."

"So his name is Dick. Hmm. I like it. Graphic connotations." She smirked. He went back to the page with an eye roll. "I'll keep bothering you until you tell me more." 

"His name is Dick. He's an officer for GCPD. I think he's your age. He can't cook. Does yoga. And eats anything you put in front of him." He still couldn't get the memory of the casserole out of his mind. 

"Hmm. He single? Taken? Gay?" 

"Single. I think he said pan?" 

"Interesting. Could you give him my number?" 

"Has he met you?" 

"No. But you could help that happen. If you were a true friend."

"Are we friends though?" he asked. She punched him again. "See I don't think hitting me is going to make me do what you want." 

"I don't know. I think it could." She pulled her arm back and he flinched away. 

"Fine. I'll see if he's interested. I make no promises. And you can't hit me if he says no."

"No promises," she said. "Oh and the kids loved the books." He had donated a few of the older kids books that weren't selling a few months back. 

-

"I have a friend. Sort of. Kind of."

"I am aware that you have such things," Dick replied. 

"You said you liked Blind Dates. You wanna go on one with her?" He rushed to get out. He didn't know why it was so hard to ask Dick to go out with someone else. 

"Wow. That wasn't painful looking at all," Dick said with a laugh. "What's she like?" 

"Her name is Helena. She teaches third grade. She makes the best tomato sauce this side of the Atlantic. And her punches hurt." 

"She pretty?" 

"In a could murder you way, sure." 

"That's…" Dick blinked a few times. "Okay." 

"Okay? You will?" 

"You have to let me set you up though."

"What? No."

"Yes." Dick smiled. He knew that smile. That smile meant that Jason was going to lose and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Fine." 

-

"Do we have any friends that we aren't super close to that it would be okay if they never spoke to me again?" Dick asked as soon as Roy opened the door instead of saying hello. Dick was feeling wordy. Reading The Hobbit had made all of his sentences run longer than they normally did and he found himself trailing off more than usual and starting new subjects before he'd finished the last. So greetings became much less important. 

"Uh, hi," Roy said confused and opened the door for him to come in. "Is it just me or are you stranger than normal?"

"It's just you," Dick told him and sank into his couch. "But answer the question. Who do we know that we don't really know?" 

Roy made a face and pulled a few beers out of the fridge. "There is Tim's chatty friend who's always pounding energy drinks. Bart?"

Dick sighed. "No, no boys." He shook his head. "Girls only."

Roy handed him his beer, frowning at him. "Okay, you might have to tell me what this is about before we keep going." He sat next to him and Dick sat up not sure why he felt so self conscious and strange. He never felt weird about sharing. It was, like, his thing. But there was something about the way that Jason asked him to go out with Helena that felt off and he didn't know how to put his finger on it or if he even should. 

"Jason set me up with this girl. Some elementary school teacher that comes into his store all the time. I guess she saw me and asked for my number and now we are going on a blind date."

"You love blind dates," Roy pointed out. "You met Wally on a blind date and you guys have been friends for years."

Dick waved that off. Wally was a freak accident and also a gift from the universe. Wally did not count. "Well, since Jay set it up, I'm forcing him to go with me-- I just need to figure out who to set him up with."

Roy nodded seeming to understand the dilemma. "Isn't your partner a pretty girl?"

"I'm not setting Jason up with Barbara," he said with a shudder that he couldn't hold back. He knew that Barabra wouldn't mind. She asked about Jason all the time, wondering when Dick was gonna let her see his cute roommate again. He didn't know why, but setting Jason up with her felt wrong. It was a feeling he had had before but refused to go deeper into. Also he didn't think he could stand to hear her talk about Jason everyday if things went well. But Roy didn't need to know that. "What if it goes bad?"

"True." Roy sighed and leaned back looking just as lost as Dick felt. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his friends list. Hardly anyone still lived in Gotham and most of the people that did, Jason already knew. He and Roy spent about half an hour going over names and vetoing or laughing them off before he stopped on a pretty brunette that he almost didn't recognize. "Donna Troy!" He said proudly holding his phone out to Roy. 

He looked confused. "Who?"

"Exactly."

-

It was entirely too easy to get Donna to agree to go out with Jason. All it took was a few minutes of catching up and a texted picture to have her laughing through the receiver. "Okay, fine," she told him as he walked around the living room, pacing because that what he always did on the phone. "But I still think there has to be something wrong with him if you are trying this hard to set him up." 

"There is," Dick told her, grinning as the door opened on the man in question. "He's kind of a curmudgeon. But he's a cute one."

"Promising…" he could hear her smirk through the receiver. "Well, I will see you tomorrow." 

"Bye, Donna." He ended the call with a flourish and turned on Jason feeling extremely accomplished. "I just got you possibly the perfect date," he told him proudly as he followed him to the kitchen. He stood on the other side of the counter as Jason set down the grocery bag he'd brought home and started to pull out ingredients. 

"Who still uses the word curmudgeon?" Jason asked instead of prying about the date. "I swear sometimes I think you're fifty. Then you say fucking  _ yeet _ and I remember you are a child."

Dick pouted and pushed himself up on the counter, crossing his legs as he sat on it. "Aren't you even a little curious about this awesome date I got for you?"

"Nope." He popped his p and smirked at how affronted Dick looked when he turned around. "You helping me cook this or not?"

-

This date was more laid back than the last one. They pulled up to the bar a little before seven feeling casual in jeans and a short-sleeved button up. Jason had teased him relentlessly about how he was missing half his shirt until Dick got him to come around to his side of things by flexing. He shut up after that. Jason had gone for a tee and bomber jacket look that made him seem like he had stepped out of the fifties. He didn't think that Donna was going to be mad in the slightest at what she was getting. They had opted for a trivia night instead of dinner. Mostly because last time Dick had talked up a storm while Jason sat awkwardly in the corner. This way the entire group had to communicate and he could fill all the awkward silences before they started. 

The girls weren't there yet, so they grabbed a table in the corner and Dick went to sign them up and get their supplies while Jason ordered drinks. He had just grabbed their paper and answer slips when he felt a hand on his ass and almost jumped back into a very pretty woman that he was pretty sure he recognized as Helena. She had looked more teachery in the picture Jason had showed him, all smiles and sweaters. The woman in front of him now was a straight fox. The black halter dress she was wearing hugged every part of her and her smile was a steely smirk. He swallowed and she laughed harder. 

"You're a little jumpy for a cop," she said crossing her arms as she gave him the once over. "You look even better out of uniform though."

"You must be Helena," he tried to seem like he wasn't put out as he shook her hand. 

"And you, are most definitely Dick." She grinned at him. 

He showed her back to the table where she greeted Jason with a punch to the arm. He winced like it actually hurt and grumbled his begrudging hello right as the waitress came back with a pitcher and four glasses. Dick made a face. "Margaritas?" 

Jason shrugged pouring them all a glass. "They're on special," he told him like it was the obvious choice. Dick ignored the fondness he felt for him in that moment. Jason hardly ever bought anything at full price. He read labels at the grocery store and bought a lot of clothes second hand. It was so funny to Dick that a guy who had grown up rich could be so frugal, but he pushed that down and took a drink before he turned to Helena. They were in the middle of talking about the time one of her students left a yellow paint handprint on her ass when Donna showed up. She was more dressed down than Helena, in a blue sweater and tight dark jeans. She hugged Dick tightly and shook Jason's hand. They had just enough time to get her sat and settled with a drink before the announcer came on and they started the game. 

Both Helena and Donna knew way too much about sports. It didn't matter which sport, one of them had the answer. Jason was a wiz at all of the literary questions to no one's surprise and Dick had a great time making things up. He knew a few things here and there, mostly movie stuff to which he was horrified when Helena said she didn't really care for movies. 

"Who doesn't  _ care _ for movies?" He asked Jason when the game was at half time and the girls went to the restroom. Jason looked just as appalled as he did but masked it when they came back giggling about whatever had happened on the way. 

The announcer called out the top five teams when they came back into the game and only Dick seemed thrilled that they were in third place.

"What?" He demanded when they all looked at him like he was crazy. "Third place is still a medal. It's the second almost winner." 

"It's still losing," Helena said, and there was something about the way she said it that made Dick frown. He sipped at his drink again and focused on the game. He was still nursing his melted first drink while everyone else was on their second. He could see Jason loosening up by the second, but he seemed more interested in arguing with Dick over his answers than talking to Donna, who seemed fine talking to the group. Helena was the only one who seemed miffed. 

Whatever she had expected from Dick it was very clear to him that she wasn't stoked about the man she'd gotten. From the way she spoke with him and poked at him it felt like she was trying to anger a manlier man out of him, but it never came. She kept grabbing at him, hand sliding up and down his arm and his leg, inviting him to do the same. But it felt weird. Dick was all about being affectionate and touchy, but on a double date? She gave up on him in the middle of the last round. The rest of the group now on their fourth drinks while Dick was half way through his second. Jason openly laughed when Dick asked what you called the kicking guy in football and Helena gave him a look that could melt ice. But everyone stared surprised when Dick finally answered something right on the last question. 

"Are you serious?" Jason demanded. "You like Lord of the Flies? That is literally the worst book ever written." 

Dick snorted. "You like freaking Animal Farm and you don't like Lord of the flies? They are basically the same thing."

Jason looked genuinely offended. "Don't even," he told him menacingly. They bickered, arguing about why each book was better long enough to miss their scores. He turned to asked Helena but blinked when he realized that the girls had left. Jason followed his eyes still half laughing at Dick's impression of Napoleon singing that stupid nonsense not song when he noticed they were gone too. "Well then," Jason said but didn't sound bothered in the slightest. "You want another drink?"

-

Dick felt pretty tipsy as they walked back up to the apartment. Jason's arm was over his shoulder even though he was pretty steady as he complained about the elevator being broken. It had been broken since he moved in and he complained every day, but Dick knew that he didn't really mind. 

"Well, at least we are trivia champions," Jason said as they turned onto the landing before their floor. He held up a coaster covered in gold painted bottle caps that they had been given as they left. "Maybe we should hang it on the front door. That way people will always ask about the worst date ever."

"It wasn't so bad." Dick laughed. "I had fun anyway. When I wasn't being aggressively manhandled under the table." 

Jason hissed out a sigh as they turned onto their floor. "Lucky," he said and let his head drop on Dick's shoulder. "I can't even remember the last time someone touched me like that. Even when I was with Kori." He shrugged and stopped talking. He didn't talk too much about Kori so Dick didn't pry. 

"Well, the women you set me up with are  _ too _ handsy," Dick told him, changing the subject. "Next time I want a guy. A gentleman. I want to be treated like a fucking king."

Jason laughed. "They're just going to feel you up too," he told him, shaking his head as he leaned against the wall next to their door. He watched Dick pull out his keys with a cocky half smile that could have made his heart burst so he kept his eyes forward. "I mean have you seen you? Guy or girl, you have the best ass I've ever seen." 

Dick could feel his face heating up as he pushed the door open. "Have you been staring at my ass?" He asked looking back over his shoulder to see that he was. 

"I don't know. Maybe," he muttered not pulling his eyes away. 

"Jason." His eyes drifted so slowly up him that Dick could feel it. He didn't know how it happened. One second Jason was just looking at him, eyes so hot he could feel them start a fire in his stomach-- and then the door was closed and Dick was pressed against it, Jason's lip between his teeth. 

He knew that Jason was huge. In theory. He saw him every day, stood next to them while he tried to teach him to cook. He saw that, he knew that-- but somehow Dick had never really comprehended just how big he was until his hands were moving up his biceps as Jason's moved down his back. He grabbed onto Dick's ass and hissed out a curse and his kissing turned into a full fledged assault. It was all Dick could do to remind himself to breathe as he sucked on his tongue and made his head swim more than the margaritas had. He tried to focus. He knew that they needed to stop, that this was a really bad idea, but he  _ really  _ didn't want to. He wanted to crawl into Jason and stay in the warmth of him forever. 

But he still managed to put a hand on Jason's chest and push him back just far enough that he had to pull away from him. "You're straight," he told him after he caught his breath. Jason shrugged and leaned forward again, running his lips down Dick's neck. He gasped. "And drunk." 

"Yeah," Jason mumbled into his jaw. Dick groaned as he moved back to his mouth. He couldn't help but kiss him back even though his entire body told him that he needed to stop. Kissing Jason was like reading a Jane Austen novel, filled with deep beautiful meaning that would never be spoken. 

Dick pushed him back again and Jason made a disgruntled noise as he pouted at him. "This is…" Jason stole a kiss from him and Dick had to close his eyes. "This is a horrible idea." He groaned and let his head fall back against the door

Jason chased him, Dick's will crumbled as he pressed a soft kiss on his neck. Under his ear. His temple. "Please?" He breathed there. He rubbed his nose against Dick's and he nearly lost it. "It's been  _ forever, _ " he told him like it was painful and Dick couldn't help it. He grabbed Jason by the back of his neck and pulled him in. 

They stumbled away from the door and further into the living room, Jason pulling at the buttons of Dick's shirt as he pushed the jacket off Jason's shoulders. He pulled it off of him and pushed him when they reached the couch. Jason's knees buckled and he sank down, staring up at Dick looking dazed and mussed up and thoroughly fuckable. His eyes were glassy, but not in a way that Dick thought he was too gone. No, Jason was going to remember every second of this. Dick would make sure of that. He took that moment to catch his breath and run a hand through his hair. 

"I'm not having sex with you drunk," he told him. Jason frowned and opened his mouth to argue with him. But Dick held up a hand. "But I will...help you out. As a friend." He sank to his knees in front of him and placed his hands on Jason's knees, looking him in the eye as he spread them apart slowly. 

He leaned in and kissed Jason again mostly because he wanted to, but also because he was nervous. They were just finally starting to feel like real friends. What if this fucked up everything? Jason followed him forward when he leaned back, holding his face in his hands when he pulled back. 

"You have to promise this won't make things weird," Dick blurted. 

Jason blinked and frowned at him before he nodded. "I promise," he told him. Dick took a breath and nodded before he pushed Jason back into the couch and undid his pants. 

He could feel Jason watching him, eyes focused until Dick pulled him out. He felt heavy and warm in Dick's hand and Jason groaned, his head falling back when he ran his thumb over his head, his dick swelling even harder. Dick ran his hand up and down a couple of times, giving Jason a moment to get used to it. But as soon as Jason looked at him again, he ducked down and swallowed him. 

"Fuck," Jason moaned and bucked up involuntarily, hitting the back of Dick's throat. He choked slightly, but didn't pull off. His mouth watered down the base of him as he sucked back up to the top. Dick pulled him at the hips until he was all the way to the base. "Holy shit," Jason barely breathed. Dick pulled almost all the way off of him and then went back down. 

Dick had been told by pretty much everyone he'd ever sucked off that he gave the best blowjob they'd ever had. Even Wally who was barely more than a drunk fumble before they decided they should just be friends. But hearing Jason say it, nonsense sentence about how amazing he was and how good he felt and,  _ did he even know how he looks right now _ , felt better than all of the other praises combined. He could feel Jason's hands in his hair, guiding him shamelessly to where he needed him to go and Dick followed without question, taking all of him eagerly. He could feel him getting hotter on his tongue as his release built up and Jason promised him things Dick had never even heard of. He tried to pull Dick off of him, but he pushed his hands away, half a mind to get his handcuffs and tie him down. Jason came with a shout and Dick stayed on him until he'd spilled every last drop. 

He sat back on his feet and they watched each other while Jason came down, chest heaving like he had just run a race. Somehow he still looked amazing half dressed and spilling out, but Dick didn't tell him that. His heart was hammering as he waited for Jason to realise this was a bad idea and that they never should have done this. 

But Jason just smiled lazily at him and let out a rough laugh. "See?" He barely managed to huff out. "Not weird at all." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _"Note to self: Add Notes." - **DNA**_
> 
> Happy Thursday everybody! 
> 
> This was definitely one of the most fun chapters that we have written in this story. We had a really good time trying to figure out what books should be on Jason's list. If you can't tell by any of the stories we write-- Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book and I will never be able to not make it Jason's. It's also the chapter where the story started to shift for us. We went into thos intending for it to be short and a simple smutt fic. I should have known better. DNA and I are incapable of writing smut without a very thick layer of plot... we've tried. That's how we got [_Bite Your Tongue_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15987014). 
> 
> Anyway, the sex gate is open and it is time for all of us, Dick, Jasin, DNA and myself to get so sleep. 
> 
> See you next week!


	5. Chapter 5

When Jason woke up it tasted like something had died in his mouth and his stomach was making noises like Tim's dorm microwave. He blinked and wiped his face. As he reached for his phone the night before came back to him and he sat up, flinging his phone across the room when his arm got caught on the charger cable. It thunked against the wall and he stared at his feet. 

"Oh shit," he whispered. "Fuck." 

He shook his head. It was fine. There was no reason to freak out. So he'd made out with Dick. It was just kissing. He'd kissed Roy before. On a dare. And there hadn't been tongue. He dropped his hand from his mouth when he realized he'd gotten distracted thinking about how hot kissing Dick had been. 

"Oh God," he hissed and fell back to the bed. He'd gotten the best blow job of his life from his roommate. The same guy that had given his brother his first. He laid in bed trying to not freak out. 

When his alarm went off, from somewhere across the room he'd gotten dressed and was trying to remind himself not to make things weird. He'd promised he wouldn't. He could just go out there, maybe Dick had left already, make breakfast then go to work. Then make dinner and that would be that. Normal. He could do normal. 

"Hey!" he shouted when he saw Dick curled on the counter next to the coffee maker. "I mean, hi," he offered at a normal voice. He cringed. "Hello." He shook his head and walked to the fridge. 

"Do you know how to make hash browns? I really want some fried potato right now," Dick groaned. He had barely moved to look at him. 

He nodded and grabbed a potato from the fridge along with a carton of eggs. Dick didn't say anymore and didn't move away from the coffee maker except to grab a mug when it finished brewing. He set the plate of hashbrowns next to him and started on the eggs. He didn't feel fancy and just scrambled them. 

"You're the best," Dick sighed as he dumped half the skillet on his plate next to the mostly finished mound of hashbrowns. 

Normal. He could do normal. Normal was saying something back. Poking at Dick's shitty cooking skills. Normal wasn't mumbling a thank you and sitting at the table. 

Fuck. 

He couldn't do normal. 

-

"Did you get laid?" 

"What?" Jason squeaked. Roy smirked at him. 

"You look less pissed off. You either got laid or you found a new favorite author. Seeing as you are not currently nose deep in a book. You got laid." He looked at Roy. He could tell him right then. Could get it out of his head and maybe then he'd get over this weird feeling swirling in his chest. But he knew that while Roy wouldn't judge him, he'd sure as hell mock him after he'd made such a big deal about not liking Dick for years. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

" _Riiiight_. So your date with Donna went well?" 

"Not really. She was nice, I guess. We won trivia." He shrugged. 

"Huh. Are you sure?" Roy leaned in to look at him. 

"Yes. Get out of my face." He pushed him away when he made to lick him. 

"Do you have anything for Lian?" Roy asked. "She finished that stack you brought over last week." 

They spent the rest of the afternoon deciding which books to take her. He agreed when Roy asked if he wanted to come over. Not because he'd been dreading going back to the apartment. Or that he was afraid of looking like an idiot in front of Dick again when his brain suddenly started blaring klaxons and announcing that he'd sucked his dick the night before. It was because he missed his goddaughter. That was it. 

**JW:** I'm having a slumber party with Lian. There should be leftovers in the fridge. Heat them up this time.

**DG:** I'll eat my sad leftovers however I want to eat them. 

He scoffed and Lian dragged him toward her room so they could set up their pillow fort. 

-

"You know my partner Barbara?" Dick asked. 

"I am aware you have such a thing," Jason replied as he focused on the bacon. He'd burned the last few slices. 

"I told her I'd ask if you wanted to go on a date." He looked over to Dick who was staring down at his phone. "I was telling her about our last few double dates and she got mad at me for not setting you two up. That's all. I told her I'd ask. It's okay if you don't want to."

"Sure," he said. Barbara was pretty and funny. It couldn't be any worse than the last two dates. Dick stopped talking. He watched him type out something on his phone. He finished the bacon and poured the eggs into the skillet next. 

"Breakfast for dinner is served," Jason said, setting down the plates. "Now I have to find you a date." 

"A real gentleman please," Dick said after a moment of apparent surprise. 

"I don't think I know any real gentleman." 

"You could set me up with your dad," Dick said. Jason choked on a bite of toast.

"Don't even joke about that. It's bad enough knowing that you talk to him. I don't want to watch him flirt." he shuddered. "Plus, I've seen how handsy he is with you."

"I don't mind his hands." Dick sighed and adopted a dreamy expression. He flicked a bit of egg at him. Dick chuckled. "They're good hands, Brent. 14/10" 

"I regret ever showing you that account." 

"It's made my day so much better. Your _dad_ likes it too." 

"I'm going to take the rest of the bacon if you don't stop talking about my dad." 

"You're a lot like him," Dick said. 

"That's it. All the bacon is mine." 

Dick laughed as he dumped the rest of the plate onto his and shoved a handful in his mouth. 

Dick finished his plate. "Well good luck finding me a date."

-

Roy stared at him. 

"Is that a no?" 

"Dick set you up with Barbara?" 

"Yeah? So I need someone to go on a date with him. I realized that the only guys I know that like guys are in relationships. Except you." Roy looked at him. "I know you've sworn off guys since Seattle, but it's just Dick." 

"Do you actually want me to date him? Does he want to date me?" 

"I don't know. I haven't asked. I thought I'd ask you first. My next option is Craigslist. Or my dad." He groaned and dropped his head to the counter. Roy pat the back of his head a few times in what he supposed was meant to be soothing, but just kind of hurt. 

"You owe me so big. I mean, it's going to be _so hard_ to talk to one of my oldest friends for a few hours." 

-

**RH:** Wanna tell me why Jason just asked me to go on a double date with you? 

**RH:** Because if you want me to guess, I would have to say it has something to do with you setting him up with Barbara after you told me what a bad idea that was. 

**RH:** Which leads me to believe that something weird happened on your last date. 

**RH:** And not like /you/ weird. Weird. 

Dick watched the texts roll in as he stood in the locker room at the precinct gym completely at a loss for words. He didn’t know what to tell him. That yes, it was weird. It was weird because even when you agree not to let things be weird, you can’t stop it once it starts. And you can’t unblowjob your roommate's dick once you have already done it. His pants felt a little uncomfortable just thinking about it and Dick sat on the bench in front of his locker before anyone around him could notice or say anything to him. He didn’t want to talk. To anyone. And because Dick was always talking to everyone, they had all taken notice and made the effort to reach out and ask him if he was alright. Which he wasn’t-- but he smiled at them and nodded all the same. 

He had spent so much time on Jason. Putting in the effort to let him know that he wanted him in his life as his friend and that he could open up and be himself with him. He’d finished the booklist that Selina sent him and moved onto random things that Jason had on his shelf because, even though he’d consumed all of his favorites, Dick still felt himself wanting more. More of Jason. More of his mind. More of seeing him actually smile when he walked into the apartment and saw that Dick had finished another one. He was always so excited to see what he was reading next. He had spent a lot of time telling himself that he just liked seeing Jason happy because that was what friends did. They made each other happy. But after the date left the sex gate wide open, Dick knew that it was much more than that. And falling for a straight guy was the very last thing that Dick needed.

**DG:** Barbara really wanted to go out with him. 

It wasn’t a lie, she had asked about him after he told her about their horrible double date. She laughed when he told her that he had looked at Donna’s facebook the next day and saw that she and Helena had actually gone home together. “Who does that?” She’d snorted. “I mean, when a guy spends twenty minutes arguing about literature, you husband that up.” 

Dick had watched her dress her coffee trying his hardest not to all out stare at her as his nerves kicked in and the panic of the day before fully hit him. He knew that he shouldn’t, but Jason had been so weird that morning, and the thought of living in that pulled the words out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Would you want to go out with him sometime?” 

She’d seemed startled at first, but easily agreed and Dick inwardly cursed himself as he grinned at her and told her that he would make it happen. He needed to stop thinking about Jason as the guy who had kissed him the night before and he needed to do it fast before it was all he _could_ think about. Besides, both of their dates before had been horrible, it’s not like anything would come out of this. 

**RH:** Nope. Try again. 

**DG:** Jason asked about her so I set it up?

**RH:** Nice try. 

**RH:** Jason just asked me to be your date and said that /you/ were the one that set him up. 

**RH:** You are a horrible liar, even through text. So tell me what happened. 

Dick put his phone face down on the bench and pulled his clothes out of his locker. He took time getting dressed and tucking his uniform into his gym bag before he picked it back up and stared at the screen a little longer wondering if there was any way out of the corner he was in. He threw his bag over his shoulder and walked back into the gym, surprised to see that Barbara had just walked out too. He was surprised, he had stayed late and thought he was one of the only morning shifts left, but her eyes lit up when she saw him. 

“Hey!” She grinned and tucked her arm through his as they walked toward the front. As much she had grumped about Dick’s touchyness at the start of their partnership, she had embraced it pretty quickly after. “I was just thinking about calling you.”

He resisted the urge to ask if her ears had been itching and focused on the door in front of them. “Oh, yeah?” he asked lamely. 

“My roommate has informed me that all of my clothes were made for small boys or nuns.” She sighed looking uncomfortable. “She’s threatening to make me wear something of hers on this date, but all she’s all black leather and fishnets and…” she shuddered slightly. “You want to go shopping with me? Help me pick something that Jason will actually like?” 

Dick chuckled. “Honestly, he would probably love to see you in something like that,” he told her trying not to sound bitter about it. But she looked so freaking hopeful and Barbara really was one of the best partners that he'd ever had. “Yeah, I don’t have anywhere to be. Let me dress you in something appropriately intelligent and just the right amount of slutty. Oh, hey chief!” he grinned and waved at Barbara’s dad who was looking a little flustered by the tail end of the conversation he’d just heard. Barbara cackled when they made it out the front. 

-

The afternoon with Barabra turned out to be exactly what he needed. They went into a lot of stupid stores just for fun and she put on anything Dick handed to her without any question, even the bright yellow cordoroy bellbottoms he found at a thrift store. He was reminded over and over just how much he really liked Barbara, that she was a good person, and unfortunately he had to admit that Jason was really going to like her too. Roy texted him a few more times, but he didn’t look at them until he got home with a bag full of thrift store clothes that Barbara wouldn’t let him leave without. 

**RH:** Are you really gonna ignore me? 

**RH:** I know where you live, Dick. 

**RH:** Fine, ignore me. I’ll just bring it up on our date on Saturday.

Dick sucked in a deep breath and hit dial before he could chicken out. 

“So he _is_ alive," Roy said sounding exactly like his mother when he forgot to call her back. “You know this is a horrible first impression. I’m not even sure I want to go on this blind date anymore.” 

Dick fought the urge to be amused. “It’s not blind if we have been friends for eight years," he told him seriously. “Which is totally cheating by the way.” 

“Yeah, yeah, Jason is the worst.” Roy brushed off the distraction speech that he knew Dick was about to launch into. “He seemed really weird when he came to ask me. And after your date the other day he was all relaxed and squeaky.” They were both quiet for a minute, but that silence was all that Roy needed from him. “You didn’t,” he said quietly. 

Dick rushed to his room and shut the door as quietly as he possibly could, not knowing if Jason had gotten home yet. He dropped his bags on the floor and tried to fight the shame that was crawling up his throat like bial. “I did," he groaned, palming his face. 

“Dick…” 

“We were drunk!” he whined under his breath. “And he was grabbing me and kissing me and I’ve spent like half a year just trying to get him to stop glaring at me-- I didn’t _know_ I had feelings.” He sank onto his bed feeling miserable. “And he kisses _so good_.” Now that he had started talking he just couldn’t stop. He’d never been good with secrets, he just wanted to say what he was feeling all of the time. “Like he should win a medal or something for the way he uses his tongue. It’s not fair!” 

“Didn’t we have a rule about not having sex with straight boys?” Roy asked. He sounded muffled like he was talking into his hand. “Especially not a straight boy you are living with.” 

Dick fell back and resisted the urge to curl into a ball. “We didn’t have _sex_ sex. He made out with me and I sucked him off.”

“That still counts.” 

“He begged me, Roy.” He groaned. “He fucking said please...” 

“Oh fuck.” 

“See?! How could I say no to that?” 

Dick listened to Roy breathe while he processed everything. “Okay, well, it’s done now. You fooled around with Jason and now you have feelings for him… so you decided to address that by setting him up with a total babe that he’s probably really going to like?” 

“I know," Dick admitted. “It was stupid. But I was really freaked out and I was trying not to make it weird.” 

“Well man, I’m pretty sure the _weird_ ship has sailed here.” 

“Then what do I do?” he asked him, closing his eyes. “I can’t cancel the date, Barbara is so excited and Jason will know something is up.”

“You could say you are sick?” Roy offered. “At least you won’t have to sit there and watch them flirt.” 

He groaned again. “You just told me what a horrible liar I am. Do you really think I can pull that off?"

Roy went quiet again, for so long that Dick almost asked him if he was still there when he spoke, “Okay, I’ll take care of this.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“You trust me right?” Roy asked him. 

He hesitated. “I do…” 

“Then just look pretty on Saturday,” he told him and hung up without any kind of explanation. 

Dick felt miserable. His heart hurt and he didn’t feel like himself. He wanted to be happy and excited for his friends. He should be rooting for things to work out, not for them to fall apart before it started-- but he couldn’t help it. Dick didn’t want them to work out. He wanted them to have a horrible time and come home and for Jason to kiss him again, but this time because he actually wanted to, not because he was wasted and lonely. Dick pulled himself off of his bed and made himself go sit in the living room. He had a copy of Wuthering Heights on the table, bookmarked to where he left Heathcliff recounting how he'd crippled his leg-- but the thought of reading that only brought him back to Jason and he couldn’t deal with that. So he pulled out a movie from the shelf and fell across the couch. He had just gotten through the opening credits when Jason unlocked the door. 

The frown he gave him told Dick all that he needed to know about his own appearance, bundled in an old quilt as he grimaced at the TV. Jason closed the door and walked to the end of the couch, crossing his arms as he looked down at him. “Did someone die?” he asked, almost sounding concerned. 

Dick shrugged. “Just a bad day,” he grumbled into the quilt and tried to focus on the movie-- which was made impossible when Jason picked his feet up off the couch and sat, putting his legs back down on his lap. 

He wordlessly watched the screen, not looking at Dick who was sure that his face was an open book as he stared at Jason. “What even is this?” he asked as the scene changed. 

He shook his head, disbelief winning over everything else. “Big Trouble in Little China," he told him like it was obvious. Jason gave him a look. “Are you serious right now? You’ve _never_ seen Big Trouble in Little China?” 

“What?” he shrugged. “You say that like this is some kind of blockbuster. It’s just some movie about a trucker.”

“Jack Burton is not _just_ some trucker," Dick told him and shot up to cover Jason’s mouth with his hand when he tried to retort. “Nope, no talking. You are watching this movie,” he told him and settled back down. He moved to take his legs off of Jason so that he could be more comfortable but Jason just rolled his eyes and told him to lay back down so they could watch the stupid movie. 

-

Saturday came much quicker than Dick wanted it too. He had spent the first part of the week avoiding all physical contact that he could with Jason, not wanting to give himself any temptation to touch him more. But after their movie night, he’d stopped trying. Partially because he knew that he was overreacting, but also because he missed touching Jason. When he stopped, it was like he had thrown the wall back up between them and he wanted to make sure it stayed down. 

The day came and went eventlessly and he went to get ready about an hour and a half before they needed to be at the restaurant. Dick dressed carefully but was distracted. He hadn’t been able to get Roy to tell him what he was up to. So he pulled on his best jeans that hugged all of the right spots. He matched it with a white button up and a plaid tan blazer before he pulled on a brown belt and shoes and brushed his hair back. He felt stupid dressing up to go on a date with his friend, but he did as he was instructed. He was idly wondering if Roy would be wearing his baseball cap when he walked into the living room to a waiting Jason who was watching him a little wide eyed. Dick frowned at him and he looked away, checking his watch. 

“You ready?” he asked not waiting for an answer as he headed out the door. 

They were quiet on the way over and Dick wasn’t really sure why. He thought about trying to bridge the gap, but he couldn’t find a single thing to say besides how amazing Jason looked in his blue sports coat and black slacks. Barbara was waiting out front for them in the white off the shoulder blouse and plum pencil skirt they had found after the yellow bell bottoms. She looked amazing, and she squeezed Dick extra hard in thanks when she hugged him. 

“Roy is running a little late. He said to meet him inside," Jason told them then said to Dick, “Lian insisted on helping him get ready, so it took a little longer than he thought.” 

“Lian is Roy’s daughter,” Dick explained when Barbara raised an eyebrow at him. “She just turned six.” 

“She’s Dick’s biggest fan.” Jason rolled his eyes but smirked to take the sting away as he held out the chair for Barbara after the hostess led them back to their table. 

She lit up at that and started into a story about a call they got last week from a mother who had run out of gas on the side of the road. It was freezing out so they put her and her three year old in the car to warm up as they called someone else to grab them some gas. “That little girl flirted with Dick the entire time, she wouldn’t even look at me!” She huffed still miffed. “And she had the cutest little cheeks.” She sighed dreamily and pinched her own at the thought of it. 

Jason laughed and Dick tried not to watch him too closely. Luckily, he looked over Dick’s shoulder and when he followed his gaze, he saw Roy walking over. He almost forgot to stand up as he watched him. Roy wasn’t a bad dresser, but he was a dad. He hadn’t seen him looking smart probably since his wedding. But there he was, hat free, with his hair tied back in a neat little bun, the small braid on the side telling him just what Lian was doing to help him get ready. He had on dark jeans that were cuffed at the bottom, a light blue button up peeking out of the top of his red sweater that was tucked into his rolled cuffs right below his elbow. He had even put on a watch. Dick made it to his feet as he reached the table and grinned at the shock on his face. 

“Sorry I’m late,” Roy told the table before he pulled Dick in by the lapels of his jacket and kissed him straight on the mouth. “Try not to look so surprised," he muttered to him when he pulled away and reached across the table to shake Barbara’s hand. “I’m Roy. Dick’s told me a lot about you.” 

Jason watched Roy kiss Dick with a weird feeling in his stomach. When Roy turned and greeted Barbara he looked to Dick who looked surprised by the kiss, but not like he minded in the least as he gazed at Roy. Barbara shook Roy's hand and he sat down. 

"I heard that your daughter adores Dick?" 

Roy laughed and talked a little about Lian, with his arm over the back of Dick's chair. After a few seconds Jason's brain rebooted and he tuned back into the conversation. 

He liked Barbara. She was funny and laughed at jokes just as easily. She rested her hand on his arm as she listened to a story Roy was telling and he looked down at it. She smiled at him and he left his arm there. He shifted closer to her in his chair as he refuted Roy's claim. By the time the checks came he was leaning in his chair with his arm over the back of Barbara’s listening to her talk about her college days. She'd double majored as Criminal Justice and Library Sciences because her dad hadn't wanted her to be an officer. He'd almost told her about his own struggles with doing what he wanted and not what he had thought his family wanted. But he'd hesitated for too long and she had laughed before telling him about one of her classes. He was surprised by how easy it was to talk to her. She reached for her glass of water, when she sat back she asked him about something. Her green eyes sparkled in the low light of the restaurant as she looked up at him. He brushed a curl that had fallen forward off her shoulder, brushing his fingers against her neck. 

"Well I should get back to the babysitter," Roy said loudly. He let his hand drop and turned back to the other pair. 

"Oh okay," Barbara said. She looked to Jason as she stood. "Do you want to come over? I have some tea I've been trying to find an excuse to use." 

"Sure." 

"Great." She smiled, then turned to the table. "It was nice to meet you, Roy. And I'll see you tomorrow." She hugged Dick before wrapping her arm around Jason's and guiding them through the restaurant. He offered a wave back. "I walked. It's not far." 

"So I have to admit I was a little nervous about this date," Barbara said as they turned down her street. "Dick told me about how your last few dates have gone." 

"Yeah," he groaned. "I think it's me. I'm not very good at this whole dating thing."

"I don't know about that. I think tonight is going well so far." 

She let her arms drop and pushed open a small gate leading up to a brownstone. "Sorry ahead of time if it's a mess. My roommate just left on a tour. She's kind of a hectic packer." He nodded and watched her walk up the stairs. "Are you going to stay down there all night?" She asked with a grin when she caught him staring.

"Oh. I'm sorry," he mumbled and jogged up the steps. Her cheeks were pink as she pushed open the door. She wasn't kidding. The room wasn't a mess exactly, but random articles of clothing hung over the couch and the table. A shoe sat in the hallway. She scooped up a few shirts and told him to sit before she walked further into the house. 

"I put the kettle on," she said and sat down next to him. "It should only be a few minutes." 

"Okay." He leaned forward and caught her chin before kissing her softly. When he leaned back he watched her eyes flutter open. Sharp green eyes locked on him and he was pulled into another kiss. He ran his hands up her back and over the bare skin of her neck. She pushed up into the kiss and her knee bumped his as she moved to slide into his lap. Her hands landed on his shoulder. She made a startled noise and toppled back to the couch. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, offering her a hand and trying not to laugh. She covered her face as she started laughing. She took his hand and pulled herself to her feet before stepping in front of him.

"Ugh. I'm going to kill Dick. I love this skirt, but it is not cooperating," she grumbled. He blinked as Dick asking him not to make it weird popped in his head. 

"I can fix that," he said and pulled her closer. His hands slid up her thighs as he pushed the fabric higher. Her hands covered his and she held onto them as she crawled onto the couch and settled in his lap.

The tea kettle started whistling as he sucked on her neck. They ignored it. He unzipped the back of her shirt slowly and she leaned back to look at him as he pulled it off. She pulled at the buttons of his shirt and forced it off his shoulders. She sat and looked at him for a moment, before she reached out and ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms. Ghosts of hands bigger, stronger, ran over him. 

A whispered, "Oh God," pulled him back into the moment and Barbara kissed him again. When her hand brushed over his zipper he realized he wasn't actually that hard. He frowned at his pants, then kissed her deeply before she could touch his zipper. She hummed against his lips and moved his hands down, over the curve of her hip. He focused on the ass under his fingers and not the one in his memory. He tried shaking the thought from his head as she kissed down his neck. She pulled his zipper down and pulled him out. He felt his lungs seize up. This couldn't be happening. She worked him up and down and he tried, _fuck,_ to send his dick some encouragement, but nothing. _Focus._ She let go after a few minutes, her shoulders hunching inward as she looked down at him. 

"I'm sorry," he breathed and put himself away not daring to look up at her. 

"Is it me?" she asked. Her arms folded across her chest. 

He slid his arms around her. "No. You're perfect. This is-- this is _great_. I don't know what's wrong with my head right now." 

He grabbed her shirt and she slid it back on before sliding over onto the couch and pulling her skirt down. She looked over to him. He let his head fall back and stared at the ceiling. _What is wrong with me?_

"You look like you have something on your mind right now. Care to share?" 

He looked over to Barbara. Her hair was tousled and curling around her pale shoulders, her arms were crossed over her chest as she held her shirt in place, and still she asked. 

"Ah. Fuck. I think Dick broke my... dick." 

"What?" she asked with a laugh. 

"He sucked my dick and fucking broke it," he said covering his face. 

"Oh," she said after a moment. "Wait. He told me you were straight." 

"I was drunk. And apparently not so straight. Fuck." He let out a heavy breath. 

"Oh my god. Of course I find the perfect fucking guy and-" she mumbled something incoherent and stood up. "I'll be right back. I need tea. And… other clothes." She looked down and adjusted her skirt before stomping off. 

When she came back with two cups of tea she'd put on glasses, an oversized sweater, and lounge pants. As she sat down he realized they were covered in Shakespeare quotes. 

"What is _wrong_ with me?" he asked, pulling on his hair. "You're-" he waved his hand up and down at her. 

"I'm flattered. I think?" He got distracted staring at her neck as the curls, hastily shoved into a ponytail, brushed against it, and yet still nothing moved in his pants. "Did you just figure this out?"

"Yes? Maybe. I don't know."

"I'm sensing you're a little conflicted," she said flatly. He huffed out a laugh. "Drink the tea. And breathe. You don't look like you're breathing right now." 

He breathed in the sweet smell of the tea before taking a sip. She was right. It was worth the wait. He looked over to her and she was looking at him. 

"Oh. I should go- I mean." 

"No. Stay. I like you. Even if this isn't going anywhere." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes," she said with a soft smile. "We can be friends." She took a sip of her tea. He relaxed and held his cup close as he breathed. 

"So you and Dick?" He coughed, sputtered the tea all over his lap and looked at her. She was grinning at him like she'd waited until he was drinking to ask. 

"Honestly? I don't know." He rubbed a hand over his face. "It's Dick. Plus he said he was just _'helping me out'_." He tossed the finger quotes in the air. 

"Right. Do you like him?" 

He scoffed. "No."

"Are you sure?" 

"...No." He groaned and let his head fall back to the couch.

Barbara chuckled and pat his arm. "Maybe you should figure that out."

-

Jason got back to the apartment a few hours later. He'd listened to Barbara's advice, and her own conflicted feelings about a friend. They had talked through their feelings and when she'd finally kicked him out telling him she needed to sleep he felt better. 

Dick was still up, which wasn't a surprise, he was always up. He was watching a movie and barely looked up. His eyes narrowed for a moment before he smiled at him. But it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You missed a button." Dick went back to the movie and Jason stood in the doorway feeling like he'd done something wrong. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "And you can’t unblowjob your roommate's dick once you have already done it." This will be the quote for the back of the book. My mother would be so proud. 
> 
> I am sorry this chapter wasn't out at midnight, but I am an old lady and got caught up watching the democratic debate. And then I had to watch JoJo Rabbit because it was finally up for rent on Amazon. 
> 
> Honestly I completely forgot it was Thursday until I poured my second cup of coffee so sorry! I love you! Please enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

Whatever had happened the night before, Barbara wasn’t giving anything away. She showed up to work exactly on time like she always did and the smile she shot Dick was neither overly happy or disappointed. She was the same as she always was and it was so frustrating that Dick wanted to shake her and scream. Of course he knew that Jason and Barbara had had sex. Jason had been perfectly tousled when he came home the night before and he had this strange expression that Dick could only assume came from being thoroughly fucked by a very attractive woman. He hadn’t known Jason with anyone so he had to go off of assumption. He had been hoping it would be easier to read Barbara. 

“How did it go?” he asked her as casually as he could. And when it came out sounding off, he shook his head, mentally reprimanding himself for being such a prick and grinned at her. “Are you in  _ looooove _ ?” he asked, batting his eyes at her. 

She gave him a look that was somewhere between amusement and exasperation with a little bit of disbelief sprinkled on top. “It was fine,” she told him and then shook her head, clearing her throat. “It was great actually. Jason is awesome.” 

“I agree.” He nodded and looked down at the report he had been fixing from a few days before. “I’m glad it worked out for you guys.” They were silent for a minute and he looked up when he felt her staring at him over her coffee cup. “You okay?” 

“You didn’t go home with Roy last night?” she asked, her frown creasing her forehead. 

“What? No.” He chuckled and looked back down at the paper in front of him so she would have a harder time reading him. “Roy and I have been friends for eight years. It would be a horrible idea for us to actually start dating.” He cleared his throat and tried to fix his expression so he looked amused and a little put out. “Jason keeps setting me up with all these handsy women so I asked him for a gentleman. He found Roy.” 

Barbara nodded slowly. “But you like guys like Roy?” 

Dick shrugged and thought about it. “I like a lot of guys that are like a lot of guys. I just… like people?” he offered. 

“People like--” she prompted with a twirl of her hand. 

“I don’t know. Nice people? Funny people? People who have interesting conversations and like to do fun things?” 

“Interesting,” she said sitting back in her chair examining him again. She kicked her feet up and watched him. Dick abandoned the report. 

“Are you profiling me?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Why would I do that?” He just watched her for a moment before he frowned at the sentence he left off on muttering 'weirdo' under his breath. 

-

They had a quiet week at work which Barbara filled with more random questions as Dick spent his time getting used to the idea of Jason and Barbara dating. He told himself all the reasons that they were perfect together. They were both bookworms with parents that could be a little overbearing. They were funny in a dry kind of way and both of them hated mushrooms more than anything else. They liked to cook and were absolutely hopeless when it came to movies. And they looked amazing together. The last one always stung a little bit. 

He repeated these things to himself over and over, anytime he saw either of them smile down at their phone or if they mentioned one another to him. And Dick was fine. Mostly. He was fine because his friends were happy, and that should make him happy. So happy that he would happily watch their happiness as they skipped into their happily ever after. 

“This can’t be healthy,” Roy told him when he stopped by after work. Barbara had said something about meeting Jason after her shift. He looked up at him from here he had hit his head on the countertop and tried not to pout, but that only made him look more pathetic. “You have to do something to shake this. Go out, meet someone and just have fun.” 

Dick shrugged. “Maybe. But what if no one likes me?”

Roy just stared at him. “You're joking right?” he asked. Dick shrugged again. “You are Dick fucking Grayson. If you can’t score, then everyone is completely fucked.” 

“Yeah," he grumbled. He pulled his head off the counter to drop it into his hands as the image of Jason and Barbara getting fucked wherever they were played under his eyelids. 

-

Dick and Barbara had separate patrols the next day. He tried not to feel too relieved about it. There had been a shooting the night before and a couple of guys were injured. Fortunately no one had been fatally wounded, but it did mean they were a little short handed so a few of them had to go out on their own. Usually after a big crime there was a quiet morning, giving Gotham enough time to recover from whatever had been thrown at her. So Dick was surprised when he got a call about a break in as soon as he got on his bike and set off to the location, siren flashing. 

He rode down the familiar street with a frown, stopping three shops down and across the road from Jason’s store that looked like it had just been opened. He could see Marge and Jason standing at the door looking at the broken window that he stopped in front of. He saw him frown when Dick took off his helmet and he recognised him, but focused on the call. There was a little crowd of people from stores nearby in front of it, muttering to themselves as Dick pushed through them, telling them to go back to their shops and let him take care of things. He opened the door and a little bell rang causing a ricochet of barks and meows and tweets and squeaks to echo around him, and he only had just a second to think about some animal shop that Jason told him about and wonder why he remembered that as important when the super hot guy from the reference section came around the corner. 

“Oh, it’s you," he said, seeming just as startled to see Dick in his shop as he was to be there. He cleared his throat and his cheeks tinted slightly. “I mean, I’ve seen you at Jason’s store. The book shop.” 

Dick stepped forward and tucked his helmet under his arm as he offered him a hand and a smile. “I’m Officer Grayson," he told him hating how painfully formal that sounded. “Uh, call me Dick," he requested and wanted to jump out the window. 

He shook his hand and nodded, seeming a little less embarrassed. “Garth Curry,” he told him. “Sorry about all the noise. They are still a little shaken.” 

“I’m assuming this happened before you got here?” Dick asked. 

He nodded. “I saw the busted window when I pulled up.”

“You have a surveillance camera?” Dick asked hopefully. 

Garth made a face and shook his head. “I’ve been meaning to get one, but I guess I just never thought anyone would actually want to rob a pet store.” He ran a hand down his face and laughed dryly. “I know, that’s naive. Especially in Gotham.” 

“I don’t think it’s naive to look for the best in people,” Dick told him seriously. Their eyes met for a moment long enough that he had to clear his throat after and set his helmet on the counter to pull out his notepad. “Well, let me at least get your statement and I’ll get this the other shop owners to see if they saw anything or maybe have a camera pointed your way. I’m sure I’ll be able to find something,” he told him with a reassuring smile. It took Garth a second to start talking again. 

Dick spent about an hour going between the shops and talking to all of the nosy owners and workers before he finally made it to Jason’s. He was leaning against the front of the counter with his arms crossed, tapping his foot like he had been waiting for him and immediately pushed himself up. “What is it about little shop keepers that make them need to know everything about everyone?” Dick asked already feeling exhausted and it was barely past ten. “Also, please tell me your front camera reaches across the street.” 

“We can look," Jason told him and they headed toward the back office. He set Dick up on the security footage and left him for a moment coming back with a cup of fresh cofee. 

“You are a saint,” he told him when he set it in front of him. 

“I know.” Jason smirked. “Is Garth okay?”

“He’s fine,” Dick told him, resisting the urge to tell him exactly how fine. “He’s miffed about the windows, but nothing was taken and the animals are okay. It was probably a group of stupid kids trying to be cool. His insurance will cover the damages.” He scrolled through the footage, Jason leaning over his shoulder when a car pulled up on the other side of the street at seven that morning. They could only see the bottom of it and it wasn’t aimed quite high enough to see the pet shop window, but it did show three sets of feet running to get in, and the license plate. “Jack pot.” He grinned at Jason who smiled back and Dick pushed himself up all too quickly when he realised just how close they were. He leaned over the computer and emailed himself the clip. “Well,” he told him, putting his helmet on with a flourish. “Duty calls.” 

Jason gave him a look that he had never seen from him before and frown at him. “Don’t do anything stupid today, okay?” 

“Why do you say that?” he asked.    
  
Jason shrugged. “You’re an idiot and I have a bad feeling.” 

“I’ll be fine," he promised and before he could be weird about it, he kissed Jason on the cheek. Normal. That was normal and he was totally comfortable and fine. “I’ll see you at home," he told him and headed back down to the station. 

-

And he was fine. Mostly. The footage did end up leading him to address where an older man greeted him with a glare, but told him where he would be able to find the car. He drove around Dockside for a little while before he found the group of punks that had broken into the pet store. They ran. He really needed to stop being surprised. He chased them down, but there were so many he only managed to catch one of them as they all scattered. The kid cursed at him and called him a pig as Dick sighed and told him his rights when something sharp hit him in the head and he fell off of him. His vision spotted just enough so that he could see the kids running like hell and he groaned rolling onto his back. It had started as such a promising day. 

They didn’t make him take an ambulance, but the chief did force him to go to the hospital to get checked out when the cut on his temple wouldn’t stop bleeding. It was only ten stitches and the doctor told him he had a minor concussion as well. She was going through the rules and regulations of it with him when Jason stormed into the clinic. 

“Did I not tell you not to do anything stupid?” he demanded, ignoring the doctor who had trailed off the stare at him. He couldn’t blame her. Jason looked all kinds of sexy librarian in his rolled sleeves and dark jeans. He was glad he hadn’t been hurt worse because there was no telling what he would have said to him on painkillers. 

“I didn’t," he told him, making a face. “I was doing my job-”

“You were playing the hero so you could impress a hot guy,” Jason corrected. 

Dick glared at him. “Why are you here?” he demanded knowing full well that he was pouting like a six year old. 

“Barbara texted me. You can’t drive with a concussion so I’m taking your ass home.” He turned to the doctor with a much nicer look than he’d given Dick. “I can take him home right?”

"That should be fine sir," she told him kindly and wrote something on Dick's chart. "Just be sure to check his eyes every few hours to see if they are dilated. If you see anything strange bring him back. And I would tell the chief you aren't working tomorrow," she said as she turned back to Dick, pat his arm, and headed to her next patient. 

He walked behind Jason watching him fume silently as they walked out of the hospital and to the very fancy looking red car in the parking lot. Dick stared at it as Jason walked around to the other side and then scrambled to get it when he glared at him. 

"Where did you get this?" He asked. He didn't even know Jason had a car, he'd only ever seen his bike. 

"My parents," he grunted without looking at him. 

Dick frowned. "You borrowed one of your dad's cars so you could pick me up from the hospital?" 

Jason didn't answer, he just threw the car into reverse and backed out of their spot, heading out onto the road. Dick thought that he was going to get the cold shoulder for the entire ride. He leaned back into the leather seat and tried to relax-- but he'd been wrong. As soon as they hit the highway, Jason launched into a lecture. He demanded to know why Dick was so ready to jump into stupid situations but never gave him a chance to actually answer. Dick just listened while Jason ranted at him all the way back to the apartment and when he parked in the garage he finally seemed almost normal again, finally out of words to use against him. He led Dick inside and fumbled the keys angrily until he finally pushed the door open and told Dick to go sit on the couch. He didn't think he had much choice in the matter but he wanted to change out of his uniform to which Jason said a begrudging fine but made it clear he better be fast about it. 

He came back out in a pair of leggings and an old Flying Graysons shirt he'd had since college. Jason was in the kitchen at the stove, mumbling to whatever he was cooking. Dick knew it was a bad idea, but he walked up behind him, tapping his shoulder and watching his entire body stiffen. "Jay?"

He didn't turn around. He gripped at the counter so hard that his knuckles were white. "What?"

He still sounded so angry and Dick hated that. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Jason's waist, laying his cheek on the back of his shoulder. "I'm sorry." 

It took a minute, but slowly Dick felt the tension start to ease out of him. His hand lifted off the counter and came to rest on where Dick's were on his stomach. He pulled them up just enough so that he could turn in his arms to look down at him, his eyes much softer than before. Dick tried not to think about how they were still pressed together. He could feel his eyes twitching to look down at his lips, but he forced them not to, waiting for whatever Jason was trying to build up to saying. 

But there was a knock on the door and Dick stepped out of whatever that moment was to go answer it. He jumped when his mother stepped in and grabbed his face, pulling Dick down to her height so that she could look him over. After a moment she sighed in relief and pat his cheek, but her eyes were a fire as she stepped in, dropping a large wicker basket on the counter. 

_ "I am so mad at you, _ " she told Dick in fast Romani as she turned on him with her hands on her hips.  _ "You go to the hospital and you don't even call? A doctor had to call and tell me my only son couldn't drive himself home and some stranger picked him up."  _

Dick felt exhausted. And his head heart. He put a hand to his temple and closed his eyes briefly.  _ "A stranger didn't pick me up, Jason did,"  _ he told her waving to the man behind the counter that separated the kitchen and the living room. 

She blinked at Jason but a little light perked the anger out of her eyes. "Oh," she sighed and switched back into English. "I didn't know Jason was your boyfriend."

"He's not," Dick told her and shot an apologetic look at Jason who's face had gone red. "Jason is my roommate, Daya. Remember when I told you someone had moved in?

She waved him off still smiling at Jason. "For you, the two go hand in hand." She put a hand on Jason's cheek and pat his too. "And he's so handsome."

"I… uh, thank you?" Dick asked. 

His mother walked through the kitchen and looked through the cabinets pointing at whatever Jason was heating on the stove and told him to put that away as she pulled the bag she brought onto the counter. "I am cooking for you tonight," she told them in a way that said she would not be argued with and sat them both down at the table. "So Jason, if I remember correctly you run a bookstore?" She asked as she found the pot she needed and pulled it out of the cabinet. Jason agreed and she stared sharply at her son. "What a perfectly lovely sounding job," she told him. "And I am sure that you would never consider a career where you get shot or hit in the head by crowbars," she said like it was a natural normal conversation. Jason looked at Dick who was openly pouting seeming to feel bad for him, any residual anger mostly gone at that point. Dick sighed and settled in for more, he knew she was just getting started. 

She spent most of the night telling Jason about all of the dumb things that Dick had done as a rookie. The time he got himself in the middle of a hostage situation off duty. The time he jumped off of a three story roof to stop a guy from escaping. The time that he'd almost taken home one of the dogs from a fighting compound that they had raided and got his arm 'nearly bitten off.'-- and so on. He knew that she needed to vent about it, so he just let her, sipping at his tea and eating the goulash she put in front of him. When he'd finished she shooed him off to the couch to lay down while she and Jason did the dishes and she packaged up the rest of the stew. Dick hadn't realised just how tired he had been but he must have dozed off because he felt himself pulling out of a daze when the sink had been turned off. He opened his eyes but didn't move his head as he looked around, he saw Jason and his mother sitting at the kitchen table, steaming mugs in front of them and closed his eyes again when he heard them talking. 

"I am very proud of him," she assured Jason. "It's hard not to be, and believe me I have tried." She laughed lightly. "I just hate that he is an officer. But I also know I put this worry on myself."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked softly. 

His mother sighed. "We are acrobats," she told him simply. "Dick's father and I taught him at a young age how to walk a tightrope. The key is to know wholeheartedly that you cannot fall. Because if you know that, then you'll always reach the other side. It's not necessarily about being fearless, but when you are a little kid, that's all you see. Fearless people doing daring things because no one taught them that they shouldn't do it." There was a pause. "I taught him that he could jump off a platform and live. I taught him how to toe the line of life and death-- so I have no right to be surprised that he chose a career that lets him do daring and courageous things." 

"That doesn't mean you have to like it," Jason said. 

She laughed deep and warm at that. "I like you Jason," she told him. "You seem very grounded. Dick needs a spoonful of that." 

And Dick didn't know why, but hearing his mother approve of Jason so strongly made a warmth bloom in his chest that eased him back to sleep. 

\---

"Dinner with his mother huh?" Barbara asked as she leaned against the counter. 

He shrugged. "I've met his parents before." 

"Boo! Isn't anything sacred? Meeting the parents is supposed to be a nerve-wracking venture, full of blunders and awkward moments. Not a calm dinner." 

"He's met  _ my _ parents." 

"He's told me about your parents." Jason didn't like her tone. He liked the blushing grin on her face even less. 

"Please don't tell me. I really don't want to know. Dick already promised he wouldn't tell me about their  _ friendship  _ and I could pretend they have no knowledge of each other. It's easier that way."

Barbara laughed. She really was beautiful. He groaned and let his head fall down. "It's okay. I'm sure they won't mark him up too much. You don't mind sloppy seconds. Or is it thirds?" 

"I hate you," he whispered.

"You really don't. Oh. Who is this? Set me up with this one," Barbara said and leaned against the counter with a small smile as she watched the door open. Jason looked up and saw Garth walk in. He waved. 

"That's the fish guy," he mumbled. Barbara's smile faded a little, but she still watched Garth as he walked down his normal aisle. 

"Dick's conveniently been in the neighborhood to stop by and check on him three times this week. I see why." 

"I want to dislike him, but he's too damn nice."

Barbara turned so she was facing him. "Set him up with me. I'll ruin him and Dick won't want to date him anymore." 

"I thought  _ we _ were dating to make Dinah jealous. I can't set my girlfriend up with another guy." 

"If you really cared about me you would. I mean, look at those arms." He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. She turned and giggled and pat his shoulder. "Yours are nice too. No need to be jealous." 

He let his arms drop and hissed, "I'm not jealous," as Garth walked up to the counter. Barbara stepped a couple feet away, but stayed turned toward him as he set his books on the counter. 

"Hey. New windows look great," he offered. Barbara snickered into her shoulder and he shot her a look. 

"Better than the cardboard," Garth said with a glance to Barbara. "Hey. Do you mind if I ask you a question?" 

He scanned the books. "Shoot." 

"That cop that always comes in here. Dick? Do you know if he's dating anyone?" 

"Why?" he blurted. He looked to Barbara then back to Garth as he chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. 

"I was going to ask him out, but I don't want to make him feel awkward if he's already with someone." 

"He's not," Jason answered as Barbara said. "He is." 

Garth looked between them. He shot Barbara a look. She looked back at him. 

"So which is it?" Garth said with a confused smile. 

"He's single," Jason said and swiped his card. 

"Oh. Good. That's good." Garth smiled as he signed his receipt and slid it back to him. 

"Good luck," Barbara called after Garth. He looked sheepish again as he laughed and pushed through the door. 

"Good luck?" He hissed. 

"You have to tell him how you feel. Now. Date Plan F is a go." 

"Which one was plan F?" 

"Ugh. I sent them all to you yesterday." 

"That excel sheet? That was real?"

"I was bored. Take him out on a date. Tell him how you feel and kiss him. He likes you. He'll blow off that Special Eyed Gorgeous Gorgeous man for you in a heartbeat." 

"They look purple, right?" He asked. 

"You saw that too?" Barbara asked. "I almost asked." 

"Ugh. Okay. I'll do it." 

-

"Have you worn that shirt before?" Dick asked as he pulled on his jacket. Jason shifted and nodded. Barbara had made him close up an hour early so they could find the right clothes for him to wear. He felt stupid, but she had insisted. He found it was easier to go along with her, and found that most of the time she was right. The way Dick kept looking at him in the crimson henley was definitely worth the hassle. 

He smiled as Dick stared at him as he walked past. Maybe she was right, but Dick stared at a lot of people. He shook his head and grabbed his keys. 

"Are we taking your bike?" Dick lit up. He grabbed his helmet and nodded. 

"I've missed it, plus parking this thing is easier." He dug out the spare and handed it to Dick before sliding on to the bike. He looked back and caught Dick staring again. "Sorry, it gets stuck sometimes," Jason said and leaned over and to pull on the straps, effectively pulling Dick closer too, and focused on latching the buckles. He tightened the straps and tapped the side of the helmet before smiling at him. "There." Jason turned back before he stared for too long. 

After a moment, Dick slid behind him and wrapped his arms around him. Barbara had told him to insist he hold on tighter, but as he turned on the engine he realized there was no need. Dick was holding on tightly and Jason's heart thumped wildly. 

As he pulled onto the expressway, he felt Dick's grip shift. They didn't stay on for long, but he felt the thrum of adrenaline as they exited and got caught by a light. 

"How fast were you going? Are you looking for another ticket?" Dick teased over his shoulder. 

"I don't know what you're talking about  _ officer _ ."

If Dick had a response he didn't hear it. The light turned green and he gunned it, smiling at the feel of Dick holding on tighter. He pulled into a tiny space between two cars on the side of the road and Dick slapped his arm.

"I almost fell off you asshole." Even though his words were angry the smile on his face said otherwise. 

"But you held on. I'm proud of you," Dick grumbled at him. He pulled out the blanket he'd stashed there earlier and nudged Dick down the street. 

"Where are we going?" Dick asked. 

"A place." 

"What kind of place?"

"A place with grass." 

"Are we having a picnic? It's a little late for a picnic. And you didn't bring any food." 

He turned into the park. Dick bumped into him a few times as they walked. He kept guessing what they were doing, but when they stepped out into the clearing and he saw the screen set up he went quiet. 

"Are we watching a movie in the park?" Dick teased. He smiled up at Jason and then pulled him along until he had found the perfect spot. "My mom used to bring me to these all the time." 

"I know. You told me," he mumbled and spread the blanket out where Dick pointed. Dick sat down looked at the screen then shifted a little. Once he seemed happy with his spot Jason settled down next to him. They watched the families and pairs settled around them as the field slowly filled. 

"Oh man. I didn't bring any cash," Dick said as a guy called out for fresh popcorn. 

"I can get it," he offered. He flagged down the guy and ordered a bag of popcorn and a couple sodas. Dick looked delighted as he shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth. 

"Such a gentleman," Dick swooned and laid back as the trailers started. 

The trailers were mostly ads for movies they'd be showing over the rest of the month. Dick laughed at a few of them and elbowed Jason that they had to go watch a couple. 

"If you keep hitting me, I'm not going anywhere with you." 

Dick pouted at him before the final bumper started reminding everyone to clean up after themselves and to enjoy the show. "Oh my god!" Dick whispered. "The Adventures of Robin Hood?" He glanced over at the absolute rapture on Dick's face. "This is my favorite movie." 

"I thought your favorite movie was White Chicks." 

"Shut up," he admonished and bumped him. "Just watch the most  _ glorious _ love story of all time." Dick leaned against him as he focused back on the screen. 

"I wanted to marry Erroll Flynn when I was younger," Dick whispered. "I mean I wanted to be Robin Hood, but I also wanted to marry him." Jason chuckled. 

Jason watched Dick more than he watched the movie. He quoted along with all of the big scenes. His hand drew back and launched imaginary arrows randomly. He didn't stop smiling as the lights played across his skin. "So what did you think?" Dick asked as Jason rolled the blanket back up. 

"I mean, it's no White Chicks, but it was good." 

"Whatever. It's the best." Dick leaned against him as they walked down the street. He'd gotten used to how tactile Dick was, but there were still times when it surprised him. He swallowed and put his arm over his shoulders as they walked. 

"Isn't that Sushi place Tim loves around here?" Dick asked when they were almost back to the bike. After a quick search they followed Dick's phone to the little sushi bar. It was not actually that close, but Dick didn't seem to mind the extra time. 

"How are the checks?" the waitress asked with a bland smile. 

"Separate," Dick answered. 

"Together," he said. When Dick looked at him he looked at the waitress. "Together.”

"Jay-" 

"I got it. Now finish your eel before it swims away." 

"Oh my god. That was so lame. I think I'm going to hurl."

"Are you sure that's not the octopus crawling it's way back out?"

"Don't say that." Dick snapped his chopsticks at him. Jason laughed and picked up his roll with his fingers. "You know it's possible right. I saw it on TV." 

Dick pulled his arm back over his shoulder when they headed out, claiming to be cold. Jason didn't point out that he had a perfectly good jacket under his arm or that it wasn't cold. He just rubbed Dick's shoulder and listened to him talk about a case that they had just wrapped up. 

His palms were sweating as he pulled down their street. He didn't think he'd ever been this nervous before. He wiped his hands off before standing. Dick handed him back the spare helmet. He half expected him to head up, but he waited for him to store it and grab the blanket. Dick smiled and offered to carry the blanket. 

_ Kiss him. _

They took the stairs. He was starting to wonder if there really was an elevator behind the doors. 

"I had fun tonight," Dick said as he unlocked the door.

_ Kiss him. _

"Someone left a whole cheesecake in the fridge at work. Do you want to split it with me?" 

_ Kiss him. _

"Sure."

"Everyone thinks it's poisoned, but who would ruin cheesecake like that?" Jason stepped up behind him. Dick turned and looked up at him, his eyes flicked to his mouth for just a second before darting back up to meet Jason's eyes. 

_ KISS HIM.  _

"I don't know," he mumbled and grabbed the plates from the shelf behind Dick. "But their loss is our- what is that saying?" 

"I don't know. Something about laundry detergent." Dick shrugged and turned back to the fridge to grab the cake before he could do something stupid like kiss him. He had been thinking about it all night, watching Robin Hood in the park and the feel of Jason's hand rubbing his shoulder. It was almost enough for him to suggest they pull out the bottle of tequila that was stored at the very top back of their pantry to see if maybe he would try and get handsy again. But he settled for the cheesecake. 

He set it on the table and pushed Jason into a chair, taking the plate away from him and putting them back up. He looked at him very pointedly as he pulled two forks out of the silverware drawer and pulled out the seat next to him, offering one to Jason. He stared Dick down for a moment but seemed to sense that this was an argument that he would not win. 

"What do you have against plates?" Jason asked finally accepting his fork. 

Dick shrugged and sunk his into the edge of the cake. "I don't have anything against plates, I just also really hate doing dishes." He grinned and took a giant bite. 

Jason watched him like he wasn't sure if he should laugh or be completely disgusted. "Your eating habits are disturbing." He sighed and took his own, normal sized bite

He fought to swallow but after a few seconds it finally went down. "Then stop eating with me," Dick told him and scooped out a more manageable piece. "Also if this cake really is poisoned, tell Barbara I died jumping out a window or that I got bit by a snake or something. I don't want her to have the pleasure in knowing that she was right." He watched Jason for a moment as he poked at the cake. He looked awkward, like he wanted to say something but couldn't figure out how. Dick finished his bite and tried to sound casual as he asked, "How are things going with you two anyway?"

Jason glanced up at him and frowned. "They aren't," he told him. 

"What?" He asked completely surprised. "She said the date went well. And you guys have been talking-"

"We're just friends." He shrugged. "Good friends, but it's nothing more than that."

"Oh…" he was surprised. But he was also happy. And he knew that he was shitty for being so happy but he couldn't stop the smile that threatened to pull his face apart. He cleared his throat and looked down so that hopefully Jason wouldn't notice. "That's too bad. I really thought she was kind of perfect for you. She even loves all of your horrible boring books." 

"Yeah, well sometimes it's not about  _ enjoying _ the same things it's more about experiencing them together. Or…" he cleared his throat looking a little uncomfortable, "doing something to understand someone better." Jason cleared his throat again and abandoned the pretense of poking at the cake in front of them. He turned in his chair so that he was facing Dick more fully and stared at the hand that Dick had in his lap before he laced his together in front of him and bit his lip. It looked painful. 

"Are… you okay?" Dick asked softly. 

Jason's face turned red and his nose wrinkled before he finally sighed and stood up. "I'm fine," he told him. "Just tired."

Dick watched as he walked down the hall toward his room, the cake suddenly not as appealing as it had been on the way in. He put their forks in the sink and tucked the cake away trying to process what had just happened but he wasn't sure anything had happened at all. But still, he couldn't help but smile. It had been a good day. Jason was single. He'd gotten to watch his favorite movie in the park. They had- he stopped with his hand on the door of his bedroom and walked a few steps back down the hall and knocked on Jason's door. He looked surprised when the door opened and he saw Dick there. Like someone else lived with them. "What-"

"Was this a date?" Dick cut him off and if it was possible, he looked even more startled. "Today. Dinner, my favorite movie… you took me on a date without telling me."

For a minute Dick thought he might refuse but frustration won over. "Yeah, so?" Jason's face was red again. "Maybe I did."

"You can't do that," Dick told him. 

"Why?" 

"You have to  _ ask _ ," Dick said like it was a fact. "If you want to go out with someone you have to ask, it's a rule." 

Annoyance flicked over Jason's face and Dick's heart thumped in his chest as he waited for him to change his mind and deny it. "If I'd asked, you could have said no."

Dick let out a hard humorless laugh and shook his head. He couldn't believe this. Jason had taken him on a date and he didn't even get to enjoy it as much as he could have because he had no idea that they had been on one. If he'd known he could have… he would have… 

He pulled Jason in by the collar of his shirt and crushed his mouth against his. He didn't move, giving Jason a moment to gain his bearings and pull away if this wasn't what he wanted. He waited, holding his breath but Jason didn't pull away. He wrapped his arms around him and Dick let out a noise he didn't even know he could make as Jason spun him into his room and shut the door. 

They stood against the door for a while just kissing and exploring each other, Jason running his hands through Dick's hair in an almost torturous rhythm. He pulled at the hair on his nape, forcing Dick's face up so he could move down his neck and he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He gripped at Jason's arms, closing his eyes and trying to commit every cut to memory as Jason nipped a path up his neck to his ear. "I don't really know what I'm doing," he admitted a little breathlessly. 

"You're doing fine," Dick assured him and pushed him to walk back to his bed. He watched Jason fall backwards, his chest feeling tight as his eyes shined up at him in anticipation, not looking vaguely nervous in the slightest. His heart thudded hard and it restarted him, prompting Dick to grab the bottom of his shirt and pull it over his head before he crawled into Jason's lap. He sat in his lap and looked down at him, not sure why he felt so locked up and stiff. 

Jason drew his brows together and squeezed his forearm. "Hey," he muttered. "What is it?"

Dick shook his head and huffed a small laugh and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm nervous," he admitted feeling stupid. But this was it. The real line. If they crossed it there was no turning back. 

Jason sat up and pulled him in by his chin. "I'm not," he told him and kissed Dick so deeply that he pulled Dick back down to the bed with him. And they kissed. And Dick felt a warmth in his chest that had absolutely nothing to do with the tightness of his jeans. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time, probably since he'd last been with Kori. But it felt different even than that. Because when Jason rolled them over so that he was leaning over him, the way he cradled Dick made him feel cherished. Like he was something special. Like he was more than a good lay or an annoying roommate or a friend that was helping him out. And Dick wasn't nervous anymore. 

He pushed at Jason's jeans until they were down far enough to pull him out and Jason repeated the process on him if fumbling a bit more. Dick grinned and took them both in his hand and Jason groaned. Dick picked his hips and Jason fell forward, tucking his face into Dick's shoulder. 

"No, why does this feel so good?" He begged and Dick moved again. He was delighted to see that Jason was a talker. Once he had started he couldn't stop the words that were coming out of him, and Dick did everything he asked. He put his free hand on the small of Jason's back to hold him more firmly down as they moved together and Jason told Dick how fucking beautiful he looked. He wanted it to last longer. But he also knew that he couldn't hold it in. He came hard, his back arching off of the bed and Jason's hand was under his back as he moved into his still tight hand before he followed after. 

They lay there panting in their mess for a minute watching each other as they basked in the afterglow of their orgasms not wanting to break the moment. Dick knew he should ask.  _ What does this mean? _ But what if he didn't want to know? What if he really was just a lay and it would never happen again? He would wait until he didn't feel so freshly laid open and when Jason wasn't ruffled up on top of him. 

Jason pulled off the shirt that Dick had his hand stuck up and very unceremoniously wiped them clean, his expression daring Dick to challenge him before he fell onto the bed next to him. 

"I would have said yes," Dick said to the ceiling, feeling Jason turn on the pillow next to him to stare. "If you had asked me out I would have said yes." Dick rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his elbow so that he could see the man clearly and the vulnerability that he saw there was almost enough to make him want to jump him again and show him just how much he meant that. As it was, he grinned at him. "I feel like I owe you dinner now."

Jason smiled up at him and tucked a hair behind his ear. "How about Thursday?" He asked. Dick nodded and leaned down to kiss him again. 

-

He hugged Barbara as a greeting the next morning when she walked into precinct and set her bag at the desk across from his. She was startled for a second before she laughed and hugged him back hard. He didn't really know what to say to her. Jason had told him before they fell asleep about what had happened after their double date, how Barbara had taken everything in stride and gave Jason the push he needed to go forward. 

"Are we best friends now?" He asked into her hair. "I haven't had one in a while. But I think that's what this is."

"I think so," Barbara said against his shoulder. "It's that or you could give me your first born." She pulled back and grinned at him, "So are you going to tell me what happened or not?"

He laughed and let go of her. "First off. I can't believe you made a spreadsheet you nerd."

She shook her head and pulled her planner out of her bag, "It's like you dont know me at all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here lies the body of our dearly departed notes.
> 
> And I have no notes for you! Please enjoy the happy and We'll see you next week!


	7. Chapter 7

The first week was a little awkward. They hadn't decided to have _the talk_ about what their relationship was yet and they were trying to figure out how to move in the apartment around each other now that boundaries were essentially off of the table. They still did all of the normal things. Jason was still convinced that he was going to teach Dick how to cook and Dick forced Jason to watch movies he had no interest in. Only now, most of their quarrels ended with them making out. 

Dick followed Jason to the bookstore on his day off insisting that he hadn't seen Marge in a while and they needed to catch up. They talked for a few hours and Marge was delighted when Dick stage whispered to her that he had a thing for Jason when she asked about his love life. He grinned at Jason when she left and hopped up onto the counter that touched the wall so he could lean against it. 

"I'm pretty sure she called it," he told Jason as he watched her walk out the door. 

Jason rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure she heard Barbara scheming," he corrected Dick. But he looked so sexy with his glasses at the end of his nose in another freaking henley that Dick had to ask him to repeat himself. Jason smirked at him and took a step closer. When the door opened, he stepped back again. His smile dropped off his face when he saw Garth walk in. Dick blinked in surprise but smiled at him and offered a wave. 

"Oh hey, I've been meaning to come by the shop," he said hopping off the counter to meet him on his way over. Garth looked nervous and a little fidgety and Dick could imagine why. He instantly felt bad for having forgotten to go talk to him. "They ended up catching the kids that tried to break in," he told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "There should be a hearing some time next week, but they shouldn't be bothering you again."

Garth blinked but for some reason he still looked nervous. "Oh, that's great! But actually I've been wanting to talk to you too." He looked back at the counter and forced a smile. "Do you want to…" he nodded toward a hall of books and Dick nodded with a frown before he followed him. 

"Did something else happen?" He asked when they were out of ear shot. 

Garth cleared his throat. "Ah, no. I was just… well I meant to ask last time you came by but I was nervous." He looked up at Dick seeming to find what he needed to go forward. "Would you like to go out with me sometime?" 

Dick blinked, sure that he looked shocked. A week ago he would have said yes in a heartbeat… but now? "Garth… I'm so sorry, but I'm actually seeing someone right now."

"Oh." He took a minute to take that in. "I… I was told you weren't."

"It's new," Dick admitted and even though he tried not to, he felt himself smile slightly. "But I think it's going somewhere really great."

Garth nodded and after a moment he sighed and offered his own smile to Dick. "Well, let me know if it doesn't work out." He nodded and left him in the romance section. 

Dick waited a minute to give him time to get what he needed and popped back out with a book after he heard the bell on the door signaling that he had left. He jumped back onto the counter feeling Jason watching him but he pretended not to notice. 

"What did Garth want?" Jason finally asked. 

"Nothing." Dick shrugged and looked up at him. "Roy wants to know if we want to hang out tonight." 

\---

Jason hadn't realized just how much Dick had been holding back. He'd always been liberal with his touches, but now he couldn't do anything without a hand brushing against his back or a weight against his side. He thought that he'd hate it, but it sparked a warmth in his chest that he couldn't explain. 

Roy was an absolute asshole. When they'd gone over he'd popped a party popper off in their faces and Lian had thrown a handful of glitter-- that apparently hadn't been planned from the abrupt noise Roy made and the horrified look he gave the puddle of pink shimmering on his carpet. Jason pat his shoulder and dusted off the little bit that had landed on his chest. 

Jason was surprised that Roy hadn't teased them. He'd just congratulated them and they'd moved on to their dinner and epic battle with the brave princess Lian. 

-

He fiddled with his phone as he looked at the door. 

"Dude, are you okay?" Conner asked. He looked over to him. He didn't know if he was okay. Part of him was excited, the other part terrified. Conner must have seen that on his face because he offered him an unsteady smile. Tim walked in and Conner's attention turned to him. 

Jason watched his brother look around the restaurant and the way he lit up when he saw Conner. Jason grabbed his water and gulped it down. He could do this. He'd promised Dick that he would. 

"You okay? You look like you're going to be sick," Tim said as he slid in next to Conner. 

"I'm fine," he answered. It sounded like a lie. Why was this so hard? He knew that Tim wouldn't be mad. He was more sure of that than he even was of his and Dick's relationship. He set the glass down. 

"Seriously, Jay. You're freaking me out." Tim leaned forward with a glance at Conner. "Are you sure you're okay?" 

"DickandIaredating." 

"What?" Tim asked. He sat back like he'd caught some of that, but wasn't sure he'd heard correctly.

"So Dick and I went on a date last week and now we're dating. I think. And I wanted you to know. I meant to tell you before, but I wasn't-" he looked at Conner and saw the recognition there. "So I told you. And yeah. It's a thing. That's happening." He groaned internally. Now he was babbling like Dick. 

"Really?" Tim asked. He nodded and risked a look at his brother. He could see the surprise, but he was smiling. With each second the smile grew until he turned and looked at Conner. Then looked back at Jason. "You're serious. This isn't a prank?" 

He shook his head. Tim was up and crawling into his side of the booth to hug him. Jason felt the last of his nerves slither away as he hugged him back. "I'm happy for you big brother," Tim said in a teasing voice as he pulled back. He sat next to him. "Dick's awesome." Tim looked to Conner again. "So we can like go on double dates now right?" 

"Yeah?" Jason offered. Tim slid back over to the other side. 

"Awesome. Cause I've been dying to for years. We can finally figure out what the big deal about brunch is." 

"It's just breakfast and lunch at an unspecific time," Conner said. Jason watched them bicker for a few minutes. 

"Why couldn't we have done it before?" Jason asked when Conner finally gave in. Tim looked over to him. 

"Huh?" 

"I was dating Kori before. Why couldn't we have gone then?" 

"She didn't really seem like she wanted to?" Conner said. Jason was watching Tim though. He could see him trying to think of a way to word whatever he was thinking. Before he shrugged. 

"Cause I didn't like her," Tim said. "But that doesn't matter. Cause you're with Dick now." Tim smiled. Jason nodded, feeling a little sore. He had known that Tim didn't like her, but to hear him come straight out and say it, on top of him saying that was why they hadn't hung out as much - it hurt. 

"Dick actually gets off in an hour. Do you mind him joining us for the movie?" 

"No. I haven't seen him in a few weeks." 

**JW:** I told Tim. Come watch car races and explosions with us.

They were halfway through dinner when his phone buzzed with Dick's response. 

**DG:** I'm finishing up now. Which theater? 

He sent Dick the address. Tim was smiling at him when he looked back up. "What?" 

"Nothing," Tim said and shoved a slice of tofu in his mouth. Conner talked about the latest drama at work for the rest of the meal. 

Tim teased him for looking so nervous as they waited in front of the theater. He told him to shut up and checked his phone. Dick had said he was trying to find parking almost ten minutes ago. Conner tapped his shoulder. He turned and Dick was jogging toward them. 

"Sorry. I had to park like three blocks away," Dick offered. "Hey guys," he said propping his hand on Jason's arm as he caught his breath. Once he could breathe, Dick hugged Tim and Connor, both of them giving him an extra squeeze now that they were privy to their relationship. Tim teased Dick about something that Jason wasn't sure he actually wanted to know since it made Dick actually blush. 

"Buy me popcorn?" Tim asked Conner and pulled him off to the concessions. Dick's hand slid into Jason's and he smiled up at him as they waited by the podium. 

"How'd it go?" Dick asked. 

"Fine. Like you said." 

"You should already know. I am always right." Jason rolled his eyes. "But I'm glad. I know you were worried." 

Before he could complain Tim bumped into him. "Come on you two. We're going to miss the trailers."

"Oh shut up. It's not going to take us five minutes to walk down the hall," he grumbled. 

-

After the movie he stood next to Tim outside the restrooms. "Have you told mom and dad?" 

"No. You know how weird they are." Tim grimaced with a nod. "I'm not, _not_ telling them. Just not in a hurry?" 

"I get it. But I have to say I don't think I've seen you this happy in a while." Tim smiled at him and shrugged. "It's nice." 

"What's nice?" Dick asked as he plastered himself against Jason's side. Jason shifted his arm so it was over Dick's shoulder. 

"Oh it's nothing." Tim's eyes softened and Jason felt oddly exposed. Conner walked out and wiped his hands down Tim's face. He laughed at the outrage. "Well we should be going. He has to drive back to Metropolis in the morning." Tim groaned. 

"Walk me to my car?" Dick asked as they walked out of the theater. 

\---

Jason was weird about PDA. It wasn't exactly that he seemed to mind when Dick touched him or kissed him in public, he just always seemed so surprised by it. He blinked when Dick kissed him and jumped just slightly when he would grab his hand. He didn't understand why Jason was so shocked. Dick had dated Kori, he knew how hands on she could be-- but he didn't know whether or not he should be endeared or worried about it. 

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" He asked when they were walking back to their apartment. Dick had been on the night shift for the past few weeks so they tried to meet for coffee in the morning when he got off and before Jason went in. He sipped at the tea Jason bullied him into so he would get some kind of sleep for once and made a face. He looked at their hands that were laced together and Jason's grip tightened on him. 

"Why would you ask that?"

Dick shrugged. "You always seem… tense when we're out in public. I know you aren't like ashamed or anything but if it bothers you I could-" 

"No." He looked up and Jason was shaking his hand. "No, it doesn't bother me," he promised and ducked down to kiss his forehead. "Don't stop. I like it."

Dick smiled at him but something still seemed off. "Okay," he said softly and leaned into Jason the rest of the way home.

-

"Grayson." He looked up from his coffee mug feeling exhausted after another sleepless day. He hated the night shift. Some kids set a fire to a small store on Dockside and it was a messy clean up with a lot of paperwork. He blinked at the chief and checked his watch. It was almost five, his shift almost over and the chief was in early. "Got a minute?" 

He nodded. "Of course Chief," he told him and made eyes at Barbara as he followed him out the door. She just shrugged looking as confused as he was sure he did. The chief held the door for him and shut it behind them, motioning for Dick to take a seat. He did but stayed on the edge of his seat, gripping his mug. "Is this something I should be worried about?"

"No, not at all," Gordon said taking his own seat. Dick swore that he almost smiled at him. "It's the opposite. Actually I want to promote you."

Dick blinked at him. "I'm sorry, what?"

Gordan did smile then. He pulled out a folder and pushed it across the table. "Remember this?" He asked. Dick opened the folder and saw his application for transfer to Gotham. Attached was an application for detective. He'd almost forgotten that he'd even put that in. "There was an opening upstairs. One of the old dogs threw in the towel and _retired_ ," he said it like it was a curse. "Anyway, they want you. They like your results and your tenacity." Dick just stared at him open mouthed as he reached into his desk and pulled out a new badge. He stood and Dick followed suit, slipping coffee down his shirt but neither of them cared. He handed Dick the badge and shook his hand. "Congratulations, Detective Grayson."

"I… thank you sir." 

He spent the last hour of his shift filling out paperwork while listening to Barbara moan about having to get a new partner and how much she hated him. As soon as the shift was over they stopped at an all day bar that did not judge them for ordering tequila shots at six in the morning Barbara ran to her apartment and changed and then tagged along with Dick to the coffee shop he had his usual morning date with Jason at. 

Jason accepted the kiss Dick offered him and made a face. "Why do you taste like coffee and margarita?" He asked. 

"That's because your big shot boyfriend got a big shot promotion," Barbara complained again and sipped at her latté grumpily. 

"What is murder barbie trying to say?" Jason asked and she flipped him off. 

Dick pulled out his new badge and showed it to him. "I applied to be a detective when I moved and completely forgot. Then the chief pulled me in today." 

Jason held onto his badge and frowned. "So what does this mean?" 

"Well, he'll get to take on bigger crime," Barbara said frowning at Jason. "Get to stop all the bad shit hopefully before it happens. It's awesome."

"Yeah of course." He nodded and managed a smile at Dick, but he could tell that something was bothering him, he just didn't want to talk about it in front of Barbara. They spent an hour listening to Barbara tell him about the guys upstairs and how most of them weren't horrible before she finally had to go home and pass out. There was no knowing what was in store for her tomorrow without a partner. She shot a look of fake hurt at Dick before she told them both she'd see them later and they headed back to their apartment in mostly silence. "I am happy for you," Jason said finally when they were halfway up the stairs. "But I also wish that you didn't get promoted. Is that wrong?"

Dick stopped to look back at him. He was just a few stairs above him but it was enough so that he had to look down. "You're worried," he said finally relieved that he knew what was wrong. 

"You haven't exactly given me a reason not to be," Jason deadpanned him. 

"I know." Dick nodded and pulled Jason up so that they were the same height for once. He grinned but didn't say anything about it. "But I'm always fine in the end. This won't change that."

Jason frowned and then after a minute his frown turned into a pout and he buried his face in Dick's neck, arms winding around his waist. "Can't you just quit and come work with me? I can handle paper cuts."

Dick laughed. "Nope," he told him. "But the chief gave me a few days off before I start so that I can get back on a day schedule. I could come with you today?" 

"Fine." He sighed. "But we aren't going anywhere tonight. I'm not in the mood to watch people flirt with you shamelessly." 

Dick pulled his face up and kissed him in what was supposed to be a soft way that turned into something deep and filled with a fire. "The guys wanted to take me out tonight to celebrate," he told him softly. "But I guess I could tell them my boyfriend needs me more."

They ended up going out. Watching Dick laugh as one of his coworkers exaggeratedly grinded on him on the dance floor was worth it. Even if his stomach did burn at the act. Barbara had assured him when they'd dragged Dick away from the table that they were all married. She was sitting next to him at the table sucking on the straw of her fourth fruity drink. 

"You doing okay?" Jason asked. 

She shrugged and looked over to him. "I liked Dick. He was a good partner. Now I have to deal with some idiot or worse, someone who thinks I only got my job because of my dad. Maybe I'll get a woman partner," she said with a sigh. 

"Do you want to dance it off? Dick tells me it's supposed to help." 

Barbara stared at him for a few minutes. She shrugged and took his hand as he guided her out to the floor. She mostly bounced and swayed next to him. He looked around at the others around them before shrugging. They danced and she seemed surprised as he moved with her and didn't look awkward. He caught Dick's eyes over her head and mimed a sad face. Dick sent the guys to the bar and walked over. 

"Are you going to miss me, Barbara?" Dick asked, sliding into the space behind her. She startled and fell against Jason before correcting herself. "Is that why you're trying to steal my boyfriend?" 

"Tried that already remember," she said and smiled over her shoulder at him. The pace of the song slowed and Jason moved to step away, but Dick grabbed his arm and grinned. Barbara snorted when Dick started moving behind her. But when his hand landed on her hip and he moved her in sync with him she looked up at Jason in surprise. He grinned at her and she laughed. "You're boyfriend is ridiculous," she said, leaning up to whisper-shout at him.

"He is," he replied back, but didn't stop moving. She was laughing now as Dick started laying on thick compliments in a deep voice. The compliments spread from Barbara to Jason, like Dick was the one that wasn't part of the couple. As the song ended Barbara laughed hard at something Dick said that Jason couldn't hear and pushed his face away. She slipped free and headed back to the table and the drinks waiting there. Dick grabbed his arm before Jason could follow her off of the dance floor. He slid an arm up his chest and over his shoulder before swaying with him. 

"You didn't tell me that you knew how to dance." 

"This isn't dancing," Jason replied to the girations they were doing. "Although I did take Ballroom lessons growing up." 

"Did you? And you've been hiding this the entire time?" 

"I have to keep up my mysterious persona." Dick laughed and demanded that he dip him. He moved them so there was more space before he did. Dick still ended up kicking a girl, but she seemed fine as Dick apologized profusely. 

Jason was glad that they had gone out. Dick didn't stop smiling or laughing the entire night and the guys had promised they would stop by the shop to pick up some things for their kids. When they finally got home, he welcomed the quiet of their apartment and having Dick's sole attention again. Dick dragged him into his room. He got his hands around Dick and held him close as they kissed, swaying like a parody of their earlier dance until his knees hit the bed and he sat down hard. Dick climbed into his lap and they kept kissing.

He laid back and Dick rolled over next to him. He pushed his shoulder back and kissed his neck, before pulling his shirt off. He paused for a moment, Dick's stomach trembled with his breaths as he looked at him. He kissed his collarbone, then moved down. Dick's breaths were coming quicker now as his mouth moved across his abs and he bit at his belly button before his hands reached his belt. 

He looked up when Dick's hands landed over them, stopping his action. "You don't have to," Dick offered, his face was flush and his eyes hot with want. 

"I want to." He kissed Dick's hand and moved them back to the bed. "You might have to talk me through it," he added as he pulled Dick's jeans off and tossed them on the ground. He didn't want to be nervous, but he wanted this to be good for Dick. 

"Take off your shirt first," Dick said when Jason's fingers pulled at the elastic of his boxers. He sat back straddling one of Dick's legs and pulled his shirt off. He felt Dick's eyes on him like an actual touch. He pushed his pants off without Dick telling him to and crawled back between Dick's legs. 

He kissed his hip. And Dick's breath caught. "Uh," Dick started as Jason's finger ran along the elastic of his boxers. "Pull them down."

He did. He stared at Dick bare in front of him and was amazed by how much he wanted him. He waited though. 

"I don't-- Jason." He took Dick in his hand and looked up at him. This he knew. He moved slow and watched Dick's face. Dick told him when to go faster, how to move. His words came stuttered with noises and breaths. He stopped mid word when Jason got curious and licked across his head. "Do that again," he breathed so Jason did. It tasted different than he expected. He wasn't even sure what he'd expected, but he hadn't expected to like it as much. He rocked against the bed idly as he licked across the skin not covered by his hand. Dick's eyes were closed tight and his breathing careful. 

"Dick?" Dick's eyes opened and he swore when he looked down at him. 

"Give me a second," Dick said and focused on breathing. He loosened his hold and tried to refrain from putting his mouth back on Dick. He kissed his inner thigh when Dick's breathing didn't sound quite so loud and moved his hand again. Dick was watching him as he licked a stripe up the underside of his dick. His eyes rolled back as Jason closed his mouth over his head. Dick's words were urgent. One word directions that sounded like pleas. Dick's voice rose, his name falling from his lips. 

"Jay," he felt Dick pull at his hair. "I'm gonna," Dick said with a cry. 

"I want to," he replied his words muffled by the dick in his mouth. 

"Oh God," Dick groaned and rose to meet Jason's mouth on his next slide. He sucked and Dick moaned as he came. Dick's fingers were tight in his hair and kept him from pulling back. So he swallowed, and rutted against the bed until his own orgasm slammed into him. Dick seemed to realize that he'd been holding Jason in place and apologized as he let go. Jason just panted against his hip. 

"It's okay," he rasped. His voice rough. "I liked it." 

\---

Something shifted after that. Dick couldn’t exactly put his finger on what it was, but Jason was… handsier with him. He would touch Dick like he did when no one was around them no matter where they were. The next day when Dick came by the book shop, Dick had been sitting on the counter reading another of Jason’s favorites when he jumped down on the cashier side to grab a cup of coffee. He passed Jason on the way and Jason had ran his hand behind the small of his back from one hip to the other and when Dick looked up at him he didn’t bother trying to hide the heat there. He bumped into him, making sure that Dick could feel him every time Jason walked by. When Marge left around noon, Dick coaxed Jason into one of the aisles at the back of the shop and made out with him under the medical reference books with Dick’s hand down the front of Jason’s pants until the bell rang and he rushed to straighten himself up. He gave Dick one last hard kiss before he forced on a customer service smile and walked out to meet whoever walked in. Dick bit his lip as he watched him go. He didn’t know what had happened. But he liked it. 

Dick didn’t get to go to the book store the next day, he only had a handful of decent clothes and he needed to get new work clothes now that his blues were retired. Barbara and Roy were both working and Jason promised he’d meet up with him after he got off, so he asked Tim to go with him. He was more helpful that Dick would have thought, vetoing his more… eccentric choices and pushing him toward something more subdued. 

“How do you feel about a tie?” Tim asked holding up a knitted one. 

Dick made a face. “I’m not opposed to ties. Jason hates the way wool feels, though. So maybe something else?” Tim grinned down at the display and Dick raised an eyebrow at him. “What?”

“Nothing," Tim lied horribly. He’d always been a horrible liar. He laughed when Dick's face told him as much and shrugged. “It’s just nice, is all," he said. “The way you talk about Jason. You’ve mentioned him five times in just this store because you want him to like what you get… and it’s nice.” Tim stopped looking at the ties and met Dick’s gaze for a moment looking like he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure if he should. He did anyway. “Do you remember the way Kori was when you were with her? I’ve been trying to remember but it was so long ago and you dated so many people… also I was crazy jealous so I was trying not to pay attention," he added like it was nothing. 

Dick thought about it for a moment as he pulled a couple of jackets and held them up to the shirts that he’d pulled out. “She was open and loving," he said after a moment. “Always very forthright with what she wanted and how she felt. Touchy.” 

“Touchy.” Tim repeated and frowned. 

“What?” Dick asked again, feeling confused. 

Tim pulled out a pair of jeans and held them up to Dick to see if he liked the color. “Kori wasn’t ever _touchy_ with Jay," Tim told him. “She was really quiet, at least when I was around. And they never held hands or kissed, even on the cheek in front of people. She was always so cold with Jason. And it bothered me because I swore she wasn’t like that with you. And I thought for a little while that maybe it was Jason, that he was the one that didn’t like PDA or was uncomfortable… but seeing him with you--” His eyes went all soft as he looked at Dick. “He holds your hand. And he watches you walk across the room. And you…” Tim shrugged his cheeks getting a little pink. “You kiss all of the time and he seems just so happy. And as much as it makes me appreciate you and what you’ve given my brother, it also makes me really really mad at Kori.” 

Dick didn’t know what to say. He stared at Tim as he went back to the jeans and made himself turn back to the racks before he could make it weird. “How do you think Jason would feel about suspenders?” He grinned and added a pair to the pile. 

-

Jason was in the kitchen when Tim dropped Dick off at their apartment. He had asked him if he wanted to come up but Connor was coming to town and he was going to meet him back at home. Jason smiled over his shoulder when Dick came in and dropped his bags by the door, the smell of garlic and tomato pulling him over to him. “Sorry, I got off late so I figured I’d just come start dinner,” Jason said as he walked around the counter. “There was a group of old men that refused to leave and-” Dick stopped him with a kiss and Jason tensed in surprise before he melted into him. “What was that for?” he asked in a low, rough voice when Dick finally pulled back. 

“Do you have to watch that?” he asked looking at the sauce on the stove. 

“Needs to simmer for thirty minutes,” he muttered letting Dick pull him back in so that his tongue could slide against his. “What’s this about?” 

Dick didn’t say anything at first. He just kissed him and tried to put it all into a feeling. He wanted to tell Jason that he deserved to be touched and wanted. That he was both beautiful and sexy and so fucking smart that Dick could just listen to him talk for hours. But he knew that if he said all of that it would be too wordy and too awkward sounding. And then he would probably have to tell him about what Tim had told him and that would lead into conversations that he didn’t want to have until Jason wanted to have them. So instead he kissed him and muttered, “I just really like you.” Jason smiled in such a pure way that it almost killed him. 

“Why?” Jason asked softly letting Dick pull him by the belt towards the living room. 

“A lot of reasons," he said back and pushed Jason down onto the couch. He pulled off Jason’s shirt as he slid onto his lap. “You’re beautiful for starters," he told him and kissed him before Jason could tell him to stop being stupid. “And ridiculously sexy.” He barely breathed when they pulled away. “You make me feel good. And you are the best part of my day. You make me laugh.” He kissed his cheek. “And drive me crazy.” He kissed the other. “And you recite Shakespeare in your sleep.”

“That happened once.” Jason grumbled. 

“Twice,” Dick corrected. “It was pretty hot," he said wiggling his eyebrows. Jason grinned and pinched his side making Dick squeal before he turned him so Dick’s back was on the couch and Jason recited some nameless sonnet into his ear until the timer went off. 

\---

"Aww. They look so cute." 

"Get out of my room," Jason groaned and tried to throw his pillow, but it didn't move. He blinked and saw Dick's hair. He blinked a few more times before it clicked and he sat up suddenly. Dick jolted, shouting gibberish into his pillow. Jason yawned. Tim was smiling at him from the door to his room. His eyes dropped to the bed and he smirked. Jason followed Tim's line of sight and flicked the covers back over Dick. "Fuck off," he grumbled rubbing his face. "What are you doing here?" 

"We're going to brunch," Tim proclaimed with a wild smile. He blinked at him. 

"No."

"Sorry, Jason. I tried to stop him," Conner called from the hallway. 

"Wake up! Get dressed. Bruuuunch!" 

"Get out of my room," he said and threw the pillow at the door. 

"Missed me," Tim called, but pulled the door shut. 

"I should have absorbed him in the womb," he mumbled shoving his face against Dick's back. Dick sat up, the exact opposite of what he wanted. He looked up at Dick with a pout. 

"Absorbed him-" Dick started laughing. He tried pulling him back down, but he pushed his hands off. "No. You heard him. _Brunch_." 

"I can make you waffles and we'll eat them at noon." Dick kissed him, but pulled away before he could lure him into staying. He slid out of the bed and Jason watched him bend to grab his boxers. 

"Stop ogling me and get dressed. I'm hungry now." Dick blew him a kiss from the door before opening it. "Morning Tim, Conner," Dick said with a cheerful voice as he walked to his room. Jason groaned before getting dressed. He brushed his teeth after shooting Tim a glare on his way to the bathroom. 

"Tim's way too happy this morning," he mumbled to Conner as they followed behind Dick and Tim who were talking animatedly to each other. 

"He didn't sleep. At all." Conner yawned. "Can I hide out at your place after brunch?" 

"Delirious Tim not fun?" 

"He's great when I've slept. But he kept waking me up to tell me about some conspiracy theory he'd read about." 

"That is why I sleep with do not disturb on." 

"I can't really do that when he's in the same room." 

He draped his arm over Conner's shoulders. "You have an entire life of that coming." 

"He promised once he gets a job in Metropolis that he won't be so-" Conner pointed to where Tim was hanging off of Dick reenacting what looked like Singin' in the Rain. They stumbled and Dick barely avoided falling off the curb. 

"Hey. Be careful with the boyfriend," he called. Tim looked over his shoulder. "I need him."

"Seriously? The boyfriend is more important than your own brother?" 

"There are things he does that you definitely don't-- and you." He pointed at Dick "I told you. No." 

"Oh come on! It's like every guy's dream. Conner knows what I'm talking about." At Conner's blank look Dick pointed between Jason and Tim. " _Twins."_ He pumped his eyebrows twice and grinned. Conner was suspiciously quiet and Tim shrieked as he started laughing. Jason pulled his arm back feeling oddly betrayed. Tim was still laughing as he wrapped around Conner and started mumbling to him. He joined Dick not wanting to hear what they were saying. 

"You know maybe all four-" 

"Do not finish that sentence." 

Dick smiled at him and grabbed his hand. He grumbled, but didn't pull away.

There was a line at the brunch place. They stood in a small little section of the patio that was covered by the shade of a tree. 

"You're seriously telling me that you've never used your name for anything before," Dick asked. 

"He got Roy his apartment," Tim offered. 

"That wasn't for him though. I know you have," Dick said looking to Tim. 

"I've used Tim's name before," Conner said. "I forgot our anniversary." 

"I knew it! That lady was way too nice to us." 

"Our dad taught us better," he said. Tim shrugged. "Plus. These people have been waiting just as long as we have." 

"But I'm hungry now Jason," Dick whined. When he saw that it wasn't working he stood up straight and rolled his eyes. "Fine. We'll wait. Because you're so noble." He booped him on the nose. Maybe the mimosas were a bad idea. Dick had drank his and most of Jason's after Jason had made a face. He was not a fan of champagne. 

Tim still had over half of his, Conner had finished his like he was throwing back a beer. He didn't look like he'd enjoyed it very much either. 

Dick's name was finally called and they followed the host back through the crowded restaurant. This wasn't the first time that he'd been on a double date with Conner and Tim. They'd taken him and Kori out a few months after they started dating. It hadn't been a fun night. Kori had barely talked to them, she'd answered their questions and had joined in for a few conversations, but for the most part she'd looked like she was waiting for a call, her hand always over her phone. They'd had their first fight that night and had ended up breaking their coffee table when they had suddenly stopped fighting. 

Dick and Conner talked for a while as Tim explained some theory to Jason. They bickered about it, Tim trying constantly to disprove it while Jason supported it, just to fuck with Tim. He was starting to lose track of his thoughts, and after a few moments where he talked himself in a circle Tim stopped and looked at Jason. "I'm tired." 

Jason smiled and pat his face. "Then you should have slept, idiot."

"I know," Tim drawled and leaned his head against him. "Mom and dad had another fight again. Doors slamming walls rattling the whole thing. Dad left and he didn't come back." 

"He will. They always come back to each other." Tim nodded. He could see Conner looking at them. "Why don't you stay with Conner this week?" 

"We do need to pick plates," Tim said, sitting back up. Conner rubbed Tim's hand. 

When Tim stumbled off to the restroom, Conner followed him and Dick leaned over. "Is he okay?" 

"Our parents have pretty big fights. They fought about Tim once when we were younger and he thought they were going to get divorced because of him."

"What? But your parents are like-- IN LOVE. Your dad talks about her literally every time we talk." 

"I know. That's the other thing. I think Tim's afraid that if they can't make it work then he won't be able to either. Conner's talked to him about it, but you know Tim. Once he gets something in his head it's impossible to get it out." 

Dick hummed and Jason paid when the waitress dropped the check off. Conner texted him that they were outside and they walked out to Tim on Conner's back looking pale and exhausted. 

"We can get a car," Dick offered. Tim made a noise. 

"He's not feeling so hot. I don't think a car would be a good idea unless we want to pay the vomit fee. I'm fine. My backpack was heavier than him," Conner said. Tim hummed and closed his eyes. 

They walked back and Dick helped Conner get Tim situated in the passenger's seat while he ran upstairs to grab a trash bag. 

-

Jason was watching Tangled with Lian via Skype. Or he was pretending to watch Tangled. But in reality he was watching Dick as he did his yoga routine. He knew that Dick knew that he was watching him. He'd lean back a little further than normal in downward dog. He'd make little noises that he didn't normally make as he stretched. He could see him smirking as he folded over. 

"Frying pans!" Lian shouted and Jason looked back at the screen. She was holding up one of her plastic frying pans with a grin. 

"Who knew right?" He said back. She giggled. He went back to the movie and definitely didn't stare at Dick in his leggings. 

Lian wanted to show him everything that she'd drawn that week, but Roy looked like he had finished cleaning. He crept up behind the couch. 

"Lian. There is a hideous monster behind you!" She spun and started laughing as Roy jumped at her. 

"Is not monster. It's just Daddy!" 

"Well he's hideous," he replied. Lian giggled and called Roy hideous. 

"Thanks for that asshole. Bye!" 

"Bye Lian!" he said as they signed out. 

Dick had another few moves to go through so he flipped through the channels. He settled on a cooking show and settled in to watch it out of the corner of his eye. By the time Dick was finished he was actually engrossed in the show. Dick grabbed the remote and changed the channel. He grabbed his wrist and managed to get the remote, but Dick snatched it before he could change it back. They wrestled for it. Jason hit the wrong button and changed it to some soccer game and Dick started laughing. He pushed Dick off of him. And grabbed the remote with both hands. Dick grabbed one hand and twisted it, forcing him down to the carpet as he pressed up behind him. 

"Give me the remote," Dick said in a low voice. Jason's mouth went dry. He blinked a few times before holding the remote up. Dick took it, but didn't let up on his grip. He just changed it back to the comedy he'd been watching for the last few weeks. "You not fighting anymore?" Dick teased. Jason shook his head. Dick let up and a wave of disappointment flowed through him. He wanted to crawl under the couch when he realized he was hard. He made himself get back onto the couch and ignored the problem in his pants. 

"You okay? I didn't hurt you did I?" Dick asked. 

Jason shook his head. 

He didn't question him. But Dick did notice the way that he shifted his legs around uncomfortably and focused too hard on the TV after that. 

Dick wanted to push the subject, to ask him if he wanted some help with his discomfort, but he also wasn't sure Jason would want that. It was a strange balancing act, walking this line of comfort and trust. Dick had never had to work so hard to dull down his instincts in his life, but he also wanted more than anything for Jason to feel comfortable. Comfortable enough to tell Dick what he wanted. But that took time. He was opening up slowly and Dick was okay with his pace. So he pretended not to notice why he had gotten hard and climbed into his lap to offer some relief. 

-

It felt strange being in his own clothes. He looked at himself in the mirror and tried on his new underarm holster, practicing pulling out his service pistol. He noticed Jason staring at him from the doorway and offered him a slightly embarrassed smile over his shoulder. "It feels weird," he admitted and tucked the gun back into the clip. "I'm used to having it at my hip… but this seemed like an easier grab."

Jason didn't say anything. He just walked in and adjusted Dick's collar. "You have nothing to be nervous about," he told him seeing through the words and into the real problem. 

Dick made a face. "My new partner's name is Tiger," he told him. He had been keeping it from Jason because he knew he would laugh just like he was doing right then. Dick pushed him to make him shut up. "Apparently he's like, the go to guy. He busted the shark gang on dockside and was the one that got the lead on the bomb in Memorial Hospital last year." Jason dropped his dopey face seeming actually impressed. "And apparently his last partner was killed in a gang shooting and he's rejected everyone since."

"Maybe don't tell me how you are replacing a dead detective before your first day." 

"Sorry," Dick muttered and Jason's smile went tight as his hands dropped from Dick's collar to his suspenders. "I just want to be good at this." 

"You will be," Jason said and he kissed him for good measure, easing the tension in Dick's shoulders as calm melted through him. "But it's your first day. So how about you take it easy?" 

"Okay," Dick muttered into his mouth and let Jason distract him until he had to finish getting ready. 

-

It was strange not turning left when he entered the precinct, but he managed to not seem completely freaked out as he stepped into the elevator and headed up to the second floor. He straightened his jacket and checked his holster again, running his hand down one of his suspenders and grinned when he remembered just how much Jason ended up liking them. But then the doors opened and he was released into the bustle of the night crew finishing up their shift and staring him down. 

It didn't feel anything like his first day as a cop had. No one smiled or waved - they just all watched him as he crossed the pen to the sergeant's office. A blond woman was sitting at the desk looking tired and lighting a cigarette as he knocked on the door. She looked less than thrilled to be interrupted and waited for Dick to say what he wanted and leave. 

"Sergeant Sapienza?" She nodded and looked bored. "I'm Dick Grayson. Your new detective." He offered a smile but she just stared at him with the same dead look until it clicked. 

"You're Tiger's new toy." She nodded and opened her desk. She pulled out a stack of paperwork and handed it to him. "Desk's right outside the office. Your name's already on it." After a second she frowned at him. "Maybe try not to smile so much at Tiger."

-

Dick picked up dumplings from his favorite restaurant on the way back to the apartment feeling like a complete joke and wanting more than anything to crawl into his bed and never get out. So he did, shoes still on and everything, and shoveled dumplings into his mouth with chopsticks he could not make work so he mostly ended up stabbing them until he could pick it up. He still had half of the box when Jason made it home and called out for him. He made a noise around his dumpling and after a moment Jason was in his doorway looking at him like he didn't know if he should be concerned or if he should laugh. 

"What happened?" he finally asked. 

Dick swallowed his dumpling and grimaced. "I called Tiger Tony and he decided I was the worst person on the face of the earth." He shoved another dumpling in his mouth and pulled the blanket over his head. He felt the bed shift and Jason crawled under the blanket with him. 

"So it was a bad day," he stated. 

Dick nodded. 

"And this is you in a bad mood?"

He nodded again and Jason smirked at him. "What?"

"Nothing." He shook his head, "I've just never seen you not super happy about everything. It's nice to know that not everyone is in love with you."

Dick made a face and let out a noise of surprise hurt. "Evil!" He told him trying not to smile when Jason kissed his neck and chuckled. 

"I'm not evil. _You_ are impossible. Now give me these." He tried to take the box of dumplings and Dick shifted to hold them farther away. They grappled for them but Jason held him down and plucked one out of the box before plopping it in his mouth. Dick gasped and managed to buck him off his hips. He just managed to put the box on his bedside table before he had Jason in the same arm lock he had the other day when they were wrestling for the remote. An idea hit him. 

"Stealing dumplings from an officer is a criminal offense," he muttered low into Jason's ear and pulled his handcuffs off of his belt, strapping the first onto the wrist he had on lock. Jason made a noise of surprise. "I didn't say that you could speak," he told him and reached up to pull the other from where it was resting next to Jason's head and strapped it into the other cuff. He backed off of Jason and pulled him up so that they were both standing next to the bed. He moved him so that he was against the wall, back still to Dick. "I'm going to have to pat you down," he told Jason, letting his hands start a slow descent down Jason's shoulders, he slipped his hands around the front of his chest and then let them trail his sides. Jason shivered and Dick stepped closer so that he was pressed up against him. One of his hands moved over his jeans and pressed against his erection. "You want to tell me what you are hiding in your pants, sir?" He asked. His voice was deeper than normal and Jason's breath hitched. He shook his head. "If you don't tell me, I will have to undress you. Do you understand?" 

Jason shouldn't have been as turned on as he was. It should have been funny. Dick's voice had taken on a slow drawl that made him sound like one of the stars of the pornos him and Tim found in a box in the attic when they were kids. He should be laughing it off and telling Dick to get the cuffs off of him. But he wasn't. Instead he was breathing heavily against the wall as Dick's hands moved inside his pants. Dick pulled his shirt up and over his shoulders, and let it hang awkwardly on his cuffed arms. Dick's hands slid up his shoulders and down his chest. He shifted when his tongue flicked against his ear. 

"I could be persuaded to let you off with a warning," Dick growled against his shoulder. "I'll do you a favor-" Dick rolled his hips against him and Jason tried to turn, but he was pushed back against the wall. "-If you do one for me."

Jason looked over his shoulder, Dick had him pressed to the wall with a single hand. The other was pulling off his suspenders. Dick saw him watching and grinned. He shifted, pushing back against his hold. Dick frowned and with a quick motion raised his arms while pushing down until he was on his knees. With heavy hands on his shoulders, Dick turned him. He could feel the wall against his back as he looked up at Dick. 

"Well?" Dick said looking at the tent in his pants. He wanted him out of his pants, and moved to take him out, forgetting that his arms were stuck behind his back. He looked up at Dick, then at the bulge in front of him. He needed it in his mouth. He moved, shoving his face into his crotch and mouthing at him through the fabric. He licked and bit at the zipper, but mostly he just moved his lips along the soft fabric, trying to find the hardness beneath it. 

"Holy shit," Dick breathed. His voice returning to normal. His hand hit the wall as he braced himself. Jason moved forward and whined, tired of the tease when he lost his grip on the zipper again. Dick freed himself and pushed Jason's head back, pulling on his hair so he was looking up at him, mouth hanging open. Jason's eyes dropped to where Dick was slowly stroking himself. A sharp tug had him looking back up at Dick's face. 

"You're so hot right now," Dick muttered and then slid the tip of his dick into his mouth. He wanted to hold on as Dick started a shallow rhythm. He wanted to pull his hips in. He wanted more, and tried to move his head, to take Dick deeper, but Dick held him still. 

"Do you want more?" Dick asked, the hand that had been wrapped around himself stroked his cheek as he looked up at him. He nodded and Dick smiled. "Don't move," he told him and thrust further in. Jason focused on breathing as his mouth was filled over and over, he coughed when he went too deep, and Dick slowed but didn't stop. He could feel spit sliding down his chin and swallowed. Dick's hips stuttered. Dick looked down at him. An idea had hit him and he seemed to be asking permission. Jason just looked back at him, waiting. Dick's fingers tightened in his hair as he slid slowly deeper. He could feel him hit the back of his throat. Dick pulled back a fraction, then slid deeper. He swallowed against the feeling and Dick jerked. He moved forward until he could feel rough hair on his skin, and Dick couldn't move any deeper. He shifted on his knees, trying to move away as his body struggled for air, but Dick held him in place. Dick pulled out and he coughed and sucked in a few sips of air before he was sliding in again. He didn't go as deep as the first time. He closed his eyes as Dick slid in over and over. His throat rebelled, but after a while he stopped gagging. 

"That's it baby," Dick said. Jason looked up at him. Dick pulled out and Jason moved to follow, but the hand in his hair stopped his movement. 

"Hold on, I got you." Dick pet his hair as he let go before pushing his head back against the wall and stepping up against him. Dick tapped his chin and Jason opened his mouth. Dick made a noise and stared down at him. "Fuck," Dick whispered before pushing fully in. Jason didn't gag this time, but he only had a moment to be proud of the accomplishment before Dick was pulling out and fucking back in. He held his head in place as he moved. Jason could do nothing, but stay there, mouth open as Dick took what he wanted. He closed his eyes and felt a tug at his hair. 

"Watch me," Dick said. Jason looked up at him, looked down at where Dick was disappearing into his mouth and back at his face.

"Oh God," Dick hissed and pushed in deep as he came. Jason swallowed, though he didn't have a choice, and when Dick pulled out he folded over and coughed. Dick pushed him back against the wall and pulled him out of his open pants. It didn't take much. Dick had barely gotten his hand on him before Jason was coming with a low groan, the loudest noise he'd made the whole time. He leaned back against the wall, his knees were sore, his shoulders ached. He didn't want to know what his voice sounded like. He could still feel Dick in his throat. He looked at Dick. He looked unsure for a moment and Jason smiled. Even though he had no idea what had just happened, he knew it had been damn good. 

Dick kissed his wrists as he unlocked the cuffs, then kissed him as they sat on the ground against the wall. He pulled him in as they kissed. 

"Did I get a warning, Officer?" he croaked and Dick laughed against his neck. 

"It's detective now," Dick said. His voice didn't sound as strained as it had when he'd first gotten home. 

"My ass is numb," he said. 

"I can help with that," Dick said with a tired smile Jason was pretty sure he had meant to be a smirk.

"Yeah, by getting off and helping me up," Jason muttered. Dick pouted, but stood. He zipped his pants back up. Jason realized that he hadn't even taken his pants off. Dick offered him a hand. Jason pulled his shirt back on to Dick's boos from the bed. "Do you want dinner? Or are you full from your dumplings?" 

"Dinner," Dick said after a few moments. 

"Don't worry about it. You won me over. Just give him some time. No one can resist the _Dick Grayson Charm™_." He kissed Dick's forehead. 

"Did you really just say trademark?" Dick called after him. 

He was taking the chicken out of the oven when Dick walked into the kitchen, he'd changed and showered. He wrapped around his back. "We should probably talk about what we just did." He knew Dick felt him freeze up. "Not right now if you don't want to, but we should." 

"Okay," he mumbled. "Later?" Dick pulled away and nodded when he turned. 

"What did you make?" 

"That enchilada chicken monstrosity you sent me five times the other day." Dick's face lit up. 

"You do love me," Dick said as he shoved his face into the dish. He huffed and pushed him back to hand him a plate with a pointed look. He watched Dick whine about how the plate limited the amount of cheesy goodness he could have as he piled it onto his plate and wondered… _did he?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FORGIVE ME! MY HUSBAND AND I SPENT THE DAY PLAYING GOD OF WAR TOGETHER AND I FORGOT TO POST THIS CHAPTER---
> 
> Tiger is low key one of my favorite DC characters. I will find any reason to use him-- but him and Dick together are just peeeeeeeeeerfect. *sighs* 
> 
> Anyway, Happy Thursday(Friday)! We will see you next week!


	8. Chapter 8

Dick climbed into Jason's lap as soon as he got home the next day. He was reading on the couch and paused to open his arm for him when Dick stopped in front him with a frown. Dick carefully wrapped himself around him. Jason let him settle before he held his book out in front of him again and continued like it had never happened. 

-

The rest of the week was better. Unlike Tiger, the rest of the detectives in the pen didn't seem to dislike Dick at all. He managed to make a couple friends and when he got off on Friday he finally felt like he was holding his own for the most part. He packed up his bag and slipped his paperwork into the sergeant's box and when he was stepping out of the pen he heard a, "Grayson," and turned back. 

Tiger was an attractive guy. He liked jeans and black tshirts and he hated everything about Dick's suspenders. He hated stupid people, and excuses and apparently Dick because he was scowling at him like he was a bug on the bottom of his shoe. Not that he ever _didn't_ scowl. He threw on his jacket and walked over and ahead of him, punching the elevator button more forcefully than was necessary. 

"I'm buying you a drink," Tiger said and he didn't wait for Dick to answer he just held the elevator door and glared at Dick until he got in after him. 

They went to the dive bar down the street that all of the officers went to after their shift. He recognized a few guys from his old shift and waved at them as he followed Tiger to the bar and sat down as he ordered two of whatever dark liquid was placed in front of him and slung his back in one gulp. Dick followed suit and grimaced as it burned all the way down his throat. Tiger ordered two more and sipped at the new one in front of him. Dick was glad, he didn't think he could take another shot. 

"You did good on the Oakley case." He said it like he was insulting him, but the words were nice, so he grasped onto it. "I thought you were just a pretty new sparkly kid from downstairs, but I was impressed with your work." He fixed Dick with a glare. "That doesn't mean we are all chummy now."

"Why not?" He asked before he could stop himself. Another trademark Dick move. He almost smiled thinking about his dork of a boyfriend. "If we are working together anyway, don't you think it would be easier if we didn't… like, hate each other?"

Tiger watched him for a moment and then he grimaced again, downing the rest of his drink. "You smile too much," he said and dropped some cash onto the bartop before he left Dick there watching after him. 

-

He walked up behind Jason when he got home and tucked his face into his neck. "Do I smile too much?" He asked, rolling his head so that he was looking at him instead of into him. 

"Yes," Jason said easily and shook whatever was in the pan that smelled like happiness. "But I like that." He turned to look at him and frowned, nostrils flaring. "Have you been drinking?"

"Are you part bloodhound?" He asked and Jason made a face. He sighed and let him go, backing up so he could lean on the counter. "Tiger took me to a bar, called me shiny and sparkly, then told me we weren't friends and intimidated me into taking gross shots," he admitted and crossed his arms. "Its progress I guess."

"Shiny and sparkly?" He frowned at him over his shoulder. 

"You disagree?" 

"I disagree with a stranger calling my boyfriend sparkly," he said and shook the pan again a little harder this time. His shoulders looked tense and Dick was surprised. This was new. 

"Are you jealous?" He asked, biting his lip as he waited for the backlash. 

Jason snorted. "Of course I am. Have you met you?" He demanded. "You could charm the pants off the president. Hell, you broke my penis for other people possibly forever." He sighed and went quiet.

Dick moved to the counter next to the stove and hopped up on it. "Hey," he muttered and Jason looked up at him, cheeks tinted pink. "The only pants I want to take off are yours," he told him and smiled when he got redder, but Jason's lips twitched too. "And speaking of that." Dick cleared his throat. "About the other night, with the handcuffs." Jason focused harder on the vegetables he was stirring. "I feel very comfortable doing these kinds of things, but I also think we should talk about it if that's something you'd like to do more of?" He wasn't sure why he felt so awkward. He'd had this conversation before. 

Jason took a moment and swallowed. "I… really liked what we did," he started and moved the pan off the burner so that he could look at him. "But I've never done anything like that before. I've only ever been with Kori and now you and… she wasn't… she was different." His eyes asked Dick if he understood and he nodded. "She wasn't super adventurous and sex was like this scheduled thing or a means to an end. And sex with you is something so completely different… that it's overwhelming."

Dick pulled on his arm and Jason came to him easily, slipping into the spot between his legs. "I've always been really open in sex. And I think it's important to explore what you want when you are with someone you love." Jason's eyes widened but Dick didn't stop. "I want you to try anything that you want, as long as it's with me." He smiled and ran a hand through Jason's hair. It was so soft. "We can go really slow if you want," he muttered and Jason pulled him down to kiss him. 

"I think you just charmed my pants off, Détective," he said into his lips. 

Dick grinned. "Maybe we should take care of that."

-

He was off the next few days and unfortunately Jason wasn't. He wanted to do something nice for him so he had covered the apartment in old Christmas lights and set cushions up around the coffee table. He ran to the store and grabbed a bottle of wine before he went to grab take out from Jason's favorite Thai restaurant that he always commented on when they passed but they'd never been in. He was surprised when he saw Bruce waiting in line for his own order. He waved Dick over and he grinned at him as he pushed through the crowd. 

"Hey stranger," he said and pat his back. "It's been a while," he said his eyes narrowing and Dick shrugged bashfully. 

"Sorry, the new job has been demanding," he admitted. 

Bruce waved it off. "Don't worry about it. But Selina is much worse at chess than you are." He looked down at his hands and noticed the wine. "Date tonight?"

This was awkward. His face heated and he let out a shaky laugh. "Actually yes," he admitted and scratched the back of his neck. 

"Last time I spoke to Tim he said Jason was dating someone new. Couldn't get him to tell me anything about her though. Would you have any inside information for me?" 

Dick felt like a bucket of ice had been dropped over his head but he managed not to break his smile. "Not this time," he told him and thankfully the woman at the counter called his name to pick up his order. 

He said goodbye to Bruce and started the walk home, feet feeling heavier with every step. He shouldn't let this bother him. Things were going well with him and Jason and it could be hard to come out. He reminded himself that Jason had been straight his entire life and went back to setting up, finishing right before Jason walked in looking ready to explode from stress and his face went soft. "What is all of this?"

"A date." Dick grinned as the multi-colored light twinkled around them. A strand slipped from where he had taped it to the wall and he tried not to wince. "Surprise?" 

He pulled Dick in for a kiss. Jason's day had been shit. Most of it was him trying to file his taxes while Roy told him he should just hire someone to do it. He didn't want to though. He'd done it every other year, he had just basically lived at the shop until he finished it. Trying to finish them and still make it home every night was giving him a headache. So he kissed Dick and reminded himself that this was worth the headache, and maybe worth giving in and asking his dad for help. 

"Whoa, we've got dinner still," Dick said when Jason pulled him closer. He opened his mouth to say he wasn't hungry, when his stomach growled into the silence and Dick snickered.

They ate dinner, Dick poked at the last vestiges of his noodles with a frown. He watched him in between his struggles with his last few veggies. He always had trouble with them. Once he was done he pulled Dick to him. Dick came easily, tossing his container onto the table, it spilled and noodles toppled out. He ignored it. Dick hummed against his mouth and leaned back onto the comforters he'd spread out. He knew that the idea had been dinner and a movie, the menu screen for one of Dick's trashy vampire movies was on the TV, but he didn't think Dick minded. 

He pulled off his shirt and pushed at Dick's, kissing up and down his chest while Dick's fingers ran through his hair, tugging and pushing him easily. He bit at the edge of Dick's belly button and popped the zipper. Dick's breath stopped as Jason pulled him out. He glanced up at him. 

"Thank you for the date," he said and smiled. Dick laid his head back. 

"Do you thank everyone who takes you out like this?" 

"Of course," he said and swallowed him down. Dick's breath was punched out of him and he curled up. He smiled as much as he could and came up. He looked up at Dick then moved back down. After a few minutes, Dick pulled on his hair. He looked up and after another tug he let Dick drop from his mouth. Dick's eyes rolled back in his head and he took a slow breath. 

"Fuck Jason." Dick sat up and tugged him into the middle. "Take your pants off and lay down." He watched Dick struggle out of his, but after a raised eyebrow he shed his pants. 

Dick crawled up and kissed him. He sighed and ran his hands down his back, over his hips and thighs. Dick pulled away, darting in for a few brief kisses before crawling up and turning. His knees were on either side of Jason's head, bumping against his shoulder. Dick looked down at him, hands sliding over Jason's legs, pushing his thighs apart. 

"You know what to do," Dick said. Jason looked at the dick in front of him and moved to take it in his mouth. He moaned when Dick's mouth slid down. He'd forgotten how good he was at that. "Jason," Dick said and Jason bobbed his head. He tried thrusting up into the heat of Dick's mouth, but Dick's hands pushed down on his legs and he sucked. He knew that this wasn't as good for Dick, Jason kept getting lost in the feeling. He grabbed Dick's ass and felt the vibration of his cry. He pulled him down and sucked, he knew he wasn't going to last much longer. Dick seemed to know that too, his hands pushed harder and he took him down to the hilt. He pulled away from Dick to groan as he came. Dick sat back. Jason reached for him, pulled him by the hips back to him. 

"Please," he whispered and sucked on the tip. Dick shifted back and Jason felt him slide in at an easier angle, a deeper one. He held onto Dick's thighs and let him thrust. Dick kissed and bit his stomach and hips until he came with a heavy sigh against his thigh. Dick slid over and laid down on the ruined blankets. He looked down across the expanse of skin at him. 

"I liked that too," he said with a smile and grabbed Dick's hand. 

-

Tim leaned over the counter and looked down at him. He glanced up from his screen. The tiny bell he'd left at the counter chimed and Tim smiled. 

"What do you want?" he asked hitting save before setting his laptop down. 

"I came to check on my favorite brother."

"What do you want?" he repeated with a flat look. 

"Can you go suit shopping with Conner next weekend?" 

"I thought you already picked your suits." 

"We did too. But the venue ended up getting double booked. So we had to move venues and the suits aren't right anymore." 

He blinked at his brother. This was the third time that they had moved venues and postponed their wedding. If he didn't know that they were head over heels for each other he'd think that they were putting off getting married. Even then, he was starting to wonder. 

"Why me?" 

"Bart can't make it out. And because you are the best brother ever?" 

"Have Conner text me the details. He could have asked himself." 

"I was stopping by today anyway," Tim said. He picked at the edge of a sticker on the counter and kept looking up at Jason and away. "So I talked to Dick yesterday." 

Jason felt his face heat up, remembering how their date night had ended. 

"Not about whatever you're thinking about," Tim said with a laugh. "Though I really want to know now." Tim shook it off and frowned. "Why haven't you told mom or dad that you're dating Dick?" 

"What?" 

"Dick ran into Dad and he said something about you dating to Dick. I think it really hurt him." 

"I didn't think about it. I didn't tell them about Kori."

"Dick's not Kori," Tim said sharply. "You don't have to tell them if you don't want to, but I think you should."

"They are going to be awful." 

"If you mean happy that their son is happy, then yes," Tim said with a tight look. 

"I know that." They had been so accepting of Tim, and Jason had never even considered that they wouldn't be. In fact it was the opposite that he wanted to avoid. "They'll be all-" he wiggled his hands around to convey what he couldn't find the words for. Tim understood, he always did. 

"Mom'll definitely hug you until you can't breathe." 

"And Dad'll look at me with that stupid smile of his."

"Tears in the corner of his eyes," Tim agreed with a big smile. 

"I'm so proud of you," Jason said mimicking their dad's choked up voice. Tim laughed. 

"You should come to dinner this week." Tim raised an eyebrow and Jason relented. 

"Yeah okay. I'll send you what day?" 

Tim rubbed Jason's head and darted away before he could grab him. "Bye!" 

-

Dick looked both excited and like he was dreading dinner. Dick had stayed late working a case the night before so they hadn't actually gotten a chance to talk. Dick had climbed into Jason's bed and snuggled into his back. Jason had woken up enough to pull his arms around him before falling back to sleep. 

"I'm sorry," he said as he handed Dick his spare helmet. Dick held the helmet and looked at him, question clear in his eyes. "I should have told my parents, or told you that I hadn't."

"It's fine," Dick said. He knew that he would. 

"It's not. I knew something was bothering you and I should have asked." He tugged on the buckle of the helmet. Dick looked up at him. "I'm not afraid or ashamed of us, or whatever else you might have thought." He kissed Dick lightly. "I'm going to tell them tonight." 

Dick's eyes widened and he said, "You don't have to."

"I do. Even if they are going to be sickening." He made a face. "They better not hit on you." 

Dick laughed. "They weren't hitting on me in the first place." 

"That's what you think." He swung his leg over the seat. "But then when you're comfortable wham! Tied up on a sex swing." 

"How do you know your parents have a sex swing?" Dick asked as he slid on behind him. 

"Tim and I were very nosy children. Hold on," he said. Dick laughed and hugged him. 

He sped through the city and out to the manor. Sometimes he missed the thrill of the hills and the sharp corners. Dick yelled as they took the last corner before the straightaway that led to the manor. He gunned it and Dick cheered behind him. They were both breathless as they pulled off their helmets. 

"As the law, I cannot say I approve of your driving, but as your boyfriend I really do want to do this more often."

His mom was waiting at the door when they got up. 

"Dick!" Selina said and pushed past Jason to hug Dick and pull him inside. Jason rolled his eyes and followed after them. 

Dick sat down next to him even when Selina told him that she'd saved him a seat. He could see the blush on Dick's face and hid his smile behind his drink. 

"So venue number three?" Selina asked after they had all gotten their plates settled. 

Tim sighed. "I _know_. This is the last one. If something happens we're just going down to the courthouse." Conner nodded, since he'd just shoved half of a potato in his mouth. 

"Then why do I need to go suit shopping on Sunday?" Jason asked. 

"Because nothing is going to happen this time," Selina said in a firm voice. 

"Yeah," Tim agreed. Jason saw him rub Conner's hand and frowned. 

"You could look for a suit for the WE's Community Appreciation Gala next month," Bruce said. Selina looked at Jason and smiled. 

"Yes! Are you bringing someone?" Her eyes sparkled. 

"My boyfriend if he's not working." He took a bite of his steak. His dad choked on his and his mom froze. He saw them reboot and kept chewing. 

"Boyfriend?" his mom asked. 

"Is it Dick?" His dad asked with a laugh. 

Jason turned to Tim. "Did you tell them?" 

"No!" Tim yelped and dodged the brussel sprout he'd thrown at him. 

"I- I was joking," Bruce said. Jason turned back to look at him, and just like he'd thought there was that look and his eyes were a little misty. 

"It worked!" Selina cheered and pushed away from the table. Her arms wrapped around his head and she rocked as she hugged him. 

"Mom, I can't breathe." She kissed him on the top of his head then turned to Dick. She hugged him too. She whispered something to him and Dick laughed. 

"Yeah. I will," Dick said with a grin. Jason frowned at him, and Dick grabbed his hand. 

"So how long have you been _dating_?" Selina asked after she sat down. 

"Well that depends. Do you want the guerrilla first date or the actual first date?" Dick asked and earned a disgruntled noise from Jason and a smirk from Tim. 

"It was a real first date," Jason told him. Again. 

Dick shook his head. "It's only a date if both parties agree to go on one." 

Jason snorted and sat back in his chair. "I took you to a movie in the park and bought you dinner. It's not my fault that you didn't realize we were on a date."

"Actually it is. Because you didn't _ask_."

They bickered for a while and the Waynes watched, Selina's eyes had gone all gooey and Bruce was sniffling every few minutes. But they finally agreed that the guerrilla date was the first date because of how it ended and Jason looked more relaxed then Dick had seen him in weeks. He grabbed his hand under the table and took a drink of his wine while Jason took over giving them the details. 

-

Dick passed out as soon as he fell into bed a week later feeling like his entire body was giving out on him. It was already dark outside, but Jason had gone out to get suits with Conner and they decided to go out for a drink after. He had no idea how long he had been sleeping or what time it was when he felt Jason crawling over him and he stirred. 

"Babe?" He asked just to make sure. He got a muffled grunt in return and a kiss behind his ear. Jason pulled the blanket down and pushed his hand up the front of his shirt. His lips trailed down to Dick’s neck as his hand moved to his pants. Dick sleepily pushed his butt back into Jason and felt something hard push back against him. He hummed and gasped when Jason's hand pushed into his pants. "What time is it?"

"Early," he said behind his ear. He could smell the bourbon on his breath and wanted to taste it. Jason pulled back just enough to pull down Dick's pants. He caught his ass before he could fall back to the bed and held it up. Dick looked over his shoulder at him and without a moment of hesitation Jason kissed his cheek. Dick gasped and wiggled not having expected that. He let out a high laugh when he kissed him again. The pressure was gone for a minute and when his hand slipped between him it was wet. 

Dick bit back his moan and pushed back toward him. "Jay," he croaked, sleep still staining his throat with thickness. "Please," he begged.

Jason shushed him, soothing Dick by running a hand up his back and tentatively pushed his finger forward. The noise Dick made, he couldn't even describe. It had been so long since he had been touched there that it felt like an electric shock up his spine. "Fuck," he hissed as Jason slid his finger slowly in and out of him. 

"Is this okay?" Jason asked, it sounded like he was panting. 

"I need more," Dick told him and Jason answered immediately. Another finger joined the first and Jason pushed Dick down. He moved against him as his hand moved into him, and he could feel him sliding against the top of his ass. Dick pushed back and Jason gasped spouting out some kind of nonsense about how good he was. He added another finger and Dick yelped, reaching back to find something to hold onto and clutching onto his arm. Jason moved faster and deeper as Dick pushed back against the wall and took it. He came hard and untouched into their sheets and whined when Jason pulled out of him. Grinding against him a few more pumps until he came across Dick's ass. 

They stayed like that, panting for a minute, and when Dick managed to pull his head up and look at him Jason was still staring at his ass. "You could have fucked me," Dick told him and grinned exhausted as the blank surprise on his face. "C'mon," he groaned and pushed himself up. He pulled Jason up with him. "We need to shower." He looked at his ruined sheets. "We're sleeping in your room."

-

Work got easier. Of course it helped that Jason was waiting for him back at the apartment every night. Tiger had mostly gotten over what Roy and Barbara had deemed his ' _shininess factor_ ' by his third week on the job. And when they wrapped up another case, Dick was almost convinced that Tiger secretly didn't hate him as much as he let on. 

He woke up too early on Saturday morning to his phone ringing. He had worked through his last few days off when he and Tiger got close on a case and had been looking forward to actually sleeping in. Jason was passed out behind him, wrapped completely and perfectly around Dick making staying in bed the most appealing thing in the world. 

"Don't answer it," Jason grumbled into Dick's shoulder. The last time Dick had answered the phone in bed he'd been called in. 

"I have to," he groaned and reached for the bedside table "What if someone died?" 

"Then they are already dead. Nothing you can do will change it."

Dick huffed out a tired chuckle and finally found his phone, wincing when the light was too bright on his eyes. "It's your dad," he said and hit the call accept before Jason could grumble anything more about him not answering. "Hey Bruce," he smiled into the phone. 

"Dick! I'm glad I caught you." It sounded like he was in a car. "Jason said you've been working odd hours." 

Jason was frowning at him as he waited to hear what his father had to say. "You actually caught me on a day off." 

"Great! Then you should come suit shopping with me. Get something for the Gala." 

His heart jumped at the thought of spending time with Jason's family without him. He had done it before-- but now that he was his boyfriend it felt completely different. "Yeah, of course," he agreed in a heartbeat. 

Jason pushed him. "What is it?" He asked but Dick waved him off.

"Great. I can swing by in an hour and grab you on the way to the store." 

"I'll be ready," he promised and they said goodbye. 

"What is it?" Jason asked again a little more awake. 

"I'm going suit shopping with your dad," Dick told him as he snuggled back into him, totally pleased. 

Jason grumbled. "My dad asks you to go shopping and not his own son?" But the annoyance was cut in half by the soft hand running up and down his arm. 

"You got your suit with Conner last week." 

"But you are finally off," Jason groaned and pulled him so close that he was laying on his chest. 

Dick laughed and pinched his side. "I'll only be gone for a couple hours." He looked at the clock. "And I don't have to get ready for another thirty minutes.” He tempted him with a roll of his hips and Jason’s body gave him away. 

-

Bruce showed up exactly on time and Jason went to answer the door while Dick finished getting dressed. He ran a brush through his hair and put on his least guilty smile, but Dick was pretty sure that Bruce knew what then had been up to anyway. Dick kissed Jason goodbye and he watched with a sour expression while Dick walked off with his father. Bruce put his arm over Dick's shoulder for good measure and Jason yelled after them to keep his hands off. 

They went to some crazy looking store that Dick had only seen the likes of on TV. One look at the price tags and Dick was ready to run out the door. "Don't worry about the price," Bruce told him, "It's a gift for me. For taking Jay out of our house before he killed us."

Dick's throat felt dry. "I don't think I could accept that…" he started but Bruce shook his head. 

"You can and you will," he told him and then pulled Dick over to meet the owner of the shop. Bruce turned out to be more adventurous with his suits than Dick thought he would be. Picking out tons of different colors and varieties for them both to try on. Dick convinced him to put on a bright orange suit with him and they snapped a picture, sending it in a group chat to both Jason and Selina. Once they finally picked their suits and got measured, Bruce offered lunch and Dick followed him to a deli on the corner. They spent most of the time talking about Dick's new job and the foundation that the gala was being held for-- but once they had both finished their sandwiches, Bruce got to what he really wanted to say. 

"I have to do the dad thing now." He sighed like it was a burden. Dick shook his head and waved to tell him to go ahead. "Selina and I really like you. Obviously we were surprised that you and Jason are dating, but we couldn't be more thrilled about it, really." He shifted looking a little uncomfortable. "You know, Jason… he's a special kind of person. And I know I have to say that because I'm his father, but I mean it. He's been on dates and he was with Kori for a while, but we all knew that wouldn't last. Because when Jason mates, he mates for life… Do you understand?" He asked, looking like he wanted to take the whole thing back. 

"Like a lobster?" Dick offered. 

Bruce smirked. "Yeah, just like that," he agreed. "I guess what I'm saying is that if you aren't all in with him, I would rather you back out now. Because I can tell that he is crazy about you." 

Dick grinned. He knew that Jason liked him, that he maybe even loved him. But having his father say it just made it feel so much more real. "I love your son, Bruce," he said simply and shrugged when Bruce beamed at him. "I don't think you have anything to worry about." 

Dick was smiling too much when he got back from suit shopping. He wouldn't tell Jason why he was smiling or what his suit looked like. He just said it was a surprise and walked off to his room. He watched him go then got up and crept down the hall after him. Dick hummed to himself as he changed out of his clothes and into a baggy shirt and the leggings that he was beginning to think Dick wore just to torture him. Dick laughed when he pulled at the stretchy fabric. He definitely wore them just to torture him. Well two could play at that game. Jason all but tossed him onto the bed and followed after him with a smirk. 

-

Jason didn't know how Conner had talked him into the suit. He was a simple guy when it came to clothes. He liked his suits black, if he was feeling adventurous he might do a dark grey. He'd refused the vest, it was too much, too much for him at least. He ran his hand down the black tie, and the smooth fabric of the black shirt underneath it. He looked at his reflection and buttoned up the deep red jacket. He swiped a hand through his hair, ignoring Barbara's voice in his head that snapped at him not to mess with it. A couple strands fell loose and he brushed them back. 

"Are you ready?" he called and leaned against his door. Dick was being weird. He had sprinted through the apartment when he came home with his suit and hadn't let Jason in his room for the entire day as they got ready for the Gala. He claimed he wanted it to be a surprise. 

"One second!" Dick yelled back sounding breathless. 

"What are you doing?" he asked and pushed off his door.

"Nothing!" Dick replied his voice still sounding strange. He grabbed the handle to Dick's door, but before he could open it, it swung back and Dick was standing there in a turquoise suit. Jason felt his mouth drop open. Dick grinned as he cocked his hip and asked, "Worth the wait?"

"Yeah. Yes. Do we have to go to this thing?" He asked as he ran his hand down Dick's side. Dick made a small noise and pushed him back. 

"Yes. It's for a good cause. And I want people to see how amazing my suit is." Dick leaned up and kissed him. "And how amazing my boyfriend looks." 

"I _do_ look pretty good," he replied chasing after Dick's mouth. Dick pushed him away while laughing. 

"Come on. Your parents will be here soon." He groaned and let Dick drag him downstairs. They didn't have to wait long. His parents pulled up and it took too much convincing to get them into the car without pictures. His mom still complained that she hadn't gotten any prom pictures out of either of them. 

"Well you'll have wedding pictures from that one soon," he replied, pointing to Tim who didn't look up from his phone. For the first time, Tim was the one without a date and his mood showed how much he didn't like it. 

"It's not the same," his mom sighed. She wrapped her arm around his dad and leaned on him. "Did you go to prom, Dick?" 

"I went to five," Dick replied. That got all of their attention. They spent the rest of the drive listening to Dick tell them about each of his proms. There was blush high on Dick's cheeks as they stopped in front of the venue. He put his hand on Dick's hip as they posed for pictures and saw a few people notice. He didn't let him go very far as they walked in, and Dick answered a few of the reporters' questions with an easy smile. He knew that there would be at least one sentence about them in a few of the papers the next day. He was grateful that it wasn't going as bad as Tim and Conner's debut together. He chuckled and Dick looked up at him. 

"What?" 

"Did we ever tell you about the first time Conner came to one of these things?" 

"No?" Dick said with a grin. 

He told him about Conner's suit mishap, and Tim literally falling out of the car. It had been a disaster, but that was the first time he'd seen Tim really laugh at an event. Jason didn't stress about events after that one. 

They walked around talking to a few people Jason knew and a few people that knew him. He had never been very good at that, talking to people that asked questions strangers shouldn't know the answer to, or ones that he knew of, but didn't actually know. It was always awkward, but Dick took to it like he took to everything. He leapt out and answered questions, dodged answering others. He was everything that Jason wasn't. He watched him make one of his grandma's friends swoon and smiled. 

"I'm sorry ladies, but I need to borrow Dick for a moment." He smiled and got a few twittering smiles of his own as he pulled Dick out onto the dance floor. 

"I forget that you know how to do this," Dick said as they moved in sync with the song. Jason was barely paying attention to the music, his eyes were stuck on Dick, the faint blush that hadn't left his cheeks since they'd left the apartment, and the stubborn strands of hair that fell out of their style. He brushed one back. 

"I love you." 

Dick, who had been in the middle of a sentence, stopped and looked at him. He watched a smile brighten on Dick's face. He kissed him and Dick let out a tiny moan as he pulled him in. He let him go and Dick looked even more flushed. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. Dick nodded and stared at the center of his tie. "Dick?" 

"I'm fine. I'm fine." Dick sighed and let out a breath.

"Do you- are you going to say anything?" he asked after they went back to the dance. 

"I told you I loved you ages ago." 

"What?" he asked and stopped moving. Dick laughed and tugged him back into the rhythm. 

"I didn't think you'd noticed," Dick replied. "You were too busy freaking out about liking the handcuffs." 

He closed his eyes at the memory and tried to think. Had he really missed Dick saying that he loved him? "Say it again," he whispered. 

"I love you," Dick replied with a smile. "with a big L," he added. 

"Where are my parents?" he said and looked around. 

"Jason," Dick started in that long suffering voice that he used when Jay was being irritating about his love affair with his parents. "I'm not-" 

"No. Not that. You _love_ me," he said with a smile and Dick's eyes softened. "We need to leave, but I have to say goodbye." 

"Oh." Dick joined him in looking for them. And forty five minutes later they were in a cab and Dick had his leg draped over his lap as they made out in the back. 

"I don't think I would have lasted much longer," Dick breathed against his neck. 

"Huh?" 

"I have a surprise for you," Dick replied. The cab stopped and Jason barely glanced out the window to make sure that they got there before they were out the door. 

Dick kept catching his hands as he reached for his pants. 

"Jay. Hold on. This suit is like three months rent. It needs to be treated with respect." 

"I'll buy you a new one," he growled and reached again. Dick caught both of his hands and looked at him. 

"While I appreciate the flagrant use of your money, I really like _this_ suit." Dick kissed him and kept eye contact. "Go get out of yours. I'll be there in a second." He pushed him down the hall and Jason frowned at him, but went. 

When Dick walked into his room, Jason was sitting on the edge of the bed trying to decide if he should take his boxers off or not. He wished he had. Dick stalked forward and pushed him flat onto the bed. Their mouths collided and he grimaced, but Dick's lips were back a second later soothing the hurt. He pulled at Dick's hips, trying to move him closer and Dick moaned against his cheek. 

"Fuck Jay. I'm not going to last." Dick squirmed in his lap. "Fuck me." He rolled against the bulge in his boxers and made a high noise. "Please Jay." 

He slid his hand down and was surprised when they touched something hard. Dick smiled, his eyes glassy as he looked at him. "Your surprise, I meant to tell you earlier, but-" he moved the plug and Dick's voice cut off in a cry. He let it go and Dick hit him with a smile. "But I forgot how intense it is." 

"Do you want to come?" he asked as Dick shook and bit his lip. 

"No. No. You," Dick said with a frantic shake of his head. He grabbed the end and captured Dick's lips as he pulled it out as slowly as he could. He lost his grip and it slid back in and Dick gasped against his chest. He moved to get out from under him and Dick grabbed him. "I want to ride you," he said. 

"Okay, but I need to get that out first," he kissed Dick's shoulder and Dick's chest fell down to the bed. He kicked off his boxers before crawling up behind Dick. He rubbed his hand over the swell of muscle and Dick whined. He was still shaking, but when his fingers found the plug again he stopped. He even thought he might have stopped breathing. He pulled and as the muscle started to give, pushed it back in. Dick groaned. 

"Jay please," Dick cried. His fingers were fisted in the sheets. He pulled again and the toy slid out slowly. He set it aside and slid his fingers in. Two went easily and the third did too. Dick grabbed his arm and pulled him down to the mattress. He watched Dick slide his leg over him. He didn't know how he always looked so graceful. It was probably the yoga, and those damn leggings. 

Dick rubbed back and he felt his head catch on his hole for a moment before slipping past. 

"Dick," he breathed. His fingers gripped his ass and pulled him down. Dick laughed and kissed him. They rocked together like that until Dick pushed back. 

He felt slick hands slide down his dick, then Dick had a hand on his chest and was holding him in place as he lowered himself down in one steady move. Dick's mouth dropped open and his eyes closed. Jason fought the urge to do the same. He wanted to see this, he wanted to see every minute flicker of emotion and pleasure that danced on his face. Dick's fingers found his and they tangled together as he started to move. Jason held onto his hand and his hip with his other. Dick's face twisted and he pulled him down into a kiss. Dick's noises kicked up a notch at the shift. He loved every noise, every trembling grip on his fingers. He wrapped his hand around Dick and moved in time. Dick whined and bit his neck. Then came. He tightened around Jason and he closed his eyes fighting back the urge to keep moving, he wasn't close enough for that. Dick slumped down and licked at his neck. 

"Give me a minute," Dick slurred. He kissed his sweat drenched forehead. Dick sighed as he moved up and Jason slid out. His hand was on him immediately. He bit back a noise and Dick nipped at his lip. After an intense look, Dick half crawled and half wiggled his way down his chest and finished him off with his mouth. As he was coming he felt the tiniest pressure behind his balls, a teasing question. 

Dick crawled up next to him and grabbed the comforter off of the floor and pulled it over them. As he hugged Dick to his chest, Jason thought about Dick pushing him down to the bed and holding him there until he came inside him. 

Dick shifted against him and whispered "I love you." 

"I love you too," he answered with a sleepy smile.

He'd bring it up in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a cute chapter for your cute Thursday ♡. 
> 
> We figured that we needed to give you something before all of the-- oh. You'll see. 
> 
> See you next week!!


	9. Chapter 9

"So I thought maybe you'd want to come over for dinner sometime this week?"

Tiger stared at him like he had spoken a different language. Dick was pretty sure that he had said it in English when he was a kid he would sometimes slip in and out of Romani, but he'd pretty much conquered that when he started going to public school. He blinked at Tiger and opened his mouth to say it again but he held up a hand. "I heard you the first time," he said and frowned down at the stack of papers on his desk. "I just don't know how I want to answer yet."

"What's the hesitation?" He asked easily stealing one of the files off of his desk. He had pretty much gotten over his fear of Tiger at this point. He was all bark but so far there was no bite to him. 

Tiger smirked. "Spending time with you voluntarily," he said without pause. 

Dick clutched his chest. "You wound me, Tony." Tiger glared at the nickname but Dick continued anyway. " I'll invite more people. None of my friends believe that you are actually this grumpy so you can prove it to them by ruining everyone's night."

"I do love being a complete downer," he deadpanned to the evidence file that he was reading. 

"Perfect, so Friday."

"I didn't say yes," Tiger insisted. 

"But you didn't say no either." Dick waved his point away and grinned up at him. "It'll be great," he promised. "And my boyfriend will cook," he amended watching as Tiger relaxed slightly. He had seen first hand just how hopeless Dick was in a kitchen when he almost broke the toaster oven in the breakroom. 

-

"You really think this is a good idea?" Jason asked that Friday. He was chopping onions and peppers for tacos as Dick mixed all of the liquor that he was told went in margaritas to make it somewhat drinkable. 

"I have the recipe." He shrugged and looked at it again. "Why do you think we should have done wine? We're eating tacos."

"No." Jason laughed and took the tequila bottle out of his hand when he'd half emptied it into the pitcher. "I'm asking if you think it's a good idea for Tiger to meet all of your friends at once. On game night."

"I don't think it's a _bad_ idea?" He offered stirring the pitcher. 

"Everyone will be coupled up."

"That's why I invited Barbara."

"Barbara hates Tiger."

"She's never met him," Dick reminded Jason but he had to admit that he was a little worried about that. She hadn't liked the way that he treated Dick when they first started working together, she'd even put in her application for detective to spite him. But Dick was convinced they would be fine if they just met in person. "And they both agreed to come so I'm sure it'll be fine." Jason looked both amused and unconvinced. 

It was strange, nothing had actually changed since they had said that they loved each other. They still did the same things and worked the same schedules, but the way they moved around each other was different. Like they were in orbit. Always passing in the exact right places where the smallest graze could send an electric shock up his spine. It was difficult to keep his hands off of him, but Jason didn't seem to mind. He accepted Dick's constant touch with ease, even welcomed it. He grabbed Dick by the hips as he set the pitcher on the table and pulled him back into him making Dick laugh as he stood and leaned back. "How much time do you think we have before they start piling in?" He asked into his ear. But there was a knock on the door before he could take it any further. 

Jason pouted as Dick went to answer the door to find Tim and Conner looking just as weary about the whole thing as Jason was. They asked Dick the same questions until Roy and his new girlfriend, Grace, got there. They didn't seem to see the issue. Then Tiger arrived. 

For a horrible second Dick thought that maybe Jason had been right and they should have done this a little slower, but Dick refused to let him be awkward and pulled him into the group. He seemed less uncomfortable by the time Dick got a margarita into his hand and he fell easily into a conversation with Jason while Roy helped him set up for charades. Everyone groaned when he made them write out ten things, but they did it nonetheless and were all throwing them into the bowl when Barbara finally showed up.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." She sighed shoving her jacket into Dick's hands. "I had an stupid group of teenagers in retainer all day waiting for their parents to get them. And then I had to run home and change. What are we playing?" 

"Charades," Jason told her apologetically and handed her a drink, Tiger in tow. "Tiger, this is Barbara, Dick's old partner."

"And best friend," she added offering her hand to him, but there was no warmth there. Dick was sure that Tiger didn't notice though, completely charmed by her curls and tight cream sweater. "I've heard _all_ about you-"

"Great, we can just jump into the game then." Dick mediated before he was actually needed and pulled them into the living room with everyone else. 

Barbara was frustrated. She and Tiger were on a team with Dick and Jason and Tiger and Dick were destroying the game. Tiger made the smallest movement and Dick had the answer in a heartbeat, he even got a smile out of him when he guessed Queen when he put his hands on his head. "How the fuck did you get that?" She demanded pinching Dick's arm. 

He swatted her off. "He was obviously making a crown," Dick told her and Tiger high fived him when he sat down and Con stepped up to place. They won by ten points, making Tim increasingly frustrated as his competitive side came out. They ate and picked at each other and when they sat around in the living room again they ended up playing never have I ever. 

"Never have I ever gotten a tattoo," Dick said looking directly at Tim who glared and took a drink with Grace, Roy and Barbara. 

Jason stared at his brother in shock. "You have a tattoo? Where?" 

"I don't want to talk about it," Tim said completely red faced. "And if you tell mom I will kill you." He was next so he took complete joy in saying, "Never have I ever been shot." All the cops drank then and Grace, making them all stop. 

"I'm a bouncer." She shrugged in explanation. 

"And a badass," Roy said happily and kissed her. 

They went around a couple of turns telling stupid stories until it came back to Grace and she said, "Never have I ever killed someone."

Barbara drank. And Tiger drank after that. They met eyes across the circle a small chill of understanding cracking between them. The game broke up a few turns later and everyone broke into their own conversations. Dick wasn't surprised when Tiger walked over to Barbara in the corner and they slid into a quiet conversation. Dick stood next to Jason by the bar top and watched their friends. "Could you do it?" He asked softly. Dick looked up at him. "Kill someone? I know you are trained to, but still."

He shrugged, "I could. If I had to. If it meant saving my partner or someone I love. Someone that couldn't protect themselves." He leaned his head on Jason's shoulder a quiet contentment between them. Tiger said something and Barbara laughed. "Told you she didn't hate him." He grinned and instead of pushing him, Jason pulled him a little closer into his orbit. 

\---

Dick texted him three times in three hours to confirm when he was going to be home. Then confirmed each time that he didn't work the next day. Jason knew that Dick was off for the next three days and he had purposefully taken off so that they could spend the day together. But he knew Dick was up to something. He wouldn't answer any of Jason's texts asking him why he kept asking him when he was getting home. 

So when he got home and the living room looked exactly the same he was a little surprised. Dick was sitting in those damn yoga pants watching reruns of Parks and Rec. He looked in the kitchen, but it was just as dirty as it had been when he left that morning. In fact there looked like there was a second dirty bowl sitting in the sink next to the one he'd left. So Dick hadn't tried cooking. He looked back at Dick, but he was engrossed in the show. 

He headed back to his room to change and it didn't look any different either. Dick had to have been messing with him. He changed and went back out into the living room. He settled down next to Dick and within two episodes had a lapful of him. Kissing Dick was one of his favorite things. He didn't know how he'd gone this long without it. But knew he wanted to keep it forever. 

He rubbed down the back of Dick's pants. Lately any time that Dick wore these stupid pants they ended up in bed. Maybe it was his brain wanting to catch up for all the times that he had watched him stretch out in torturous poses before they were together. Or maybe it was just that he looked damn good in them and Jason was _weak_. 

That was probably it. 

Dick sucked on his lip and sat back, smiling down at him. 

Yeah. That was definitely it. 

"I bought something. I thought we could try it out." 

"Okay," he hedged. 

Dick just slid to his feet and pulled him up. Dick pulled him down to kiss him then backed up and headed down the hall to his room. "I got it like half off, so if you hate it I'm only out twenty bucks, but if you like it then I only spent twenty bucks!" Dick grinned back at him and he swallowed. 

Dick's room didn't look any different either. He felt a little nervous, but Dick smiled and pushed him down on his back. They spent a few minutes kissing and Jason felt the tension that had built in him ease as Dick straddled him. He sat back and looked down at him. 

"I'm going to put your arms down and you're going to leave them there. Okay?" He nodded at the change in Dick's voice and Dick smiled. He put his hands in the corner of the bed. "So this is what I bought?" Dick slid over to the edge and reached down. He pulled up a cuff on a strap. He looked at Dick's face and could see him watching his reaction, gaging how he felt. He looked back at the cuff and lifted his hand. He saw Dick's relief. The cuff was softer than he expected. Definitely softer than the handcuffs they'd used a few times before. Dick crossed over the bed and cuffed his other arm. Dick straightened and took a step back.

"Don't leave," Jason said and pulled at the restraints, his heart jumping into his throat. Dick immediately climbed back onto the bed. 

"I'm not. Just wanted to look at you." Dick kissed him slowly as his hands rubbed up and down his side. Dick's hands slid under his shirt and up over his chest. Dick's mouth slid away from him, down his jaw and neck. He pulled at the restraints as Dick wiggled in his lap. He could feel Dick's smile against his neck. He stopped pulling when Dick sat up and frowned down at him. 

"I forgot to take your shirt off," Dick said, then pushed the fabric up and over his head. Jason shifted until the fabric was bunched comfortably behind his head. He watched the heat build in Dick's eyes as he looked at him. Dick's fingers trailed slowly up his side, pressing lightly against his ribs. He leaned away from the squirming feeling. Dick pushed him back down to the bed. His hands steady on his skin. "Don't move." 

Dick sat in his lap and looked down at him. He watched his hands as they gripped the edge of his shirt and pulled it up over his head. Dick reached over and pulled a dark swatch of fabric from the bedside table. Dick held it out in front of him. "I am going to miss your eyes, baby, but let's cover them up." Dick laid the fabric over his eyes and lifted his head to tie it in the back. Dick's hands trailed down to his neck. He felt a breath against his lips before Dick kissed him. Dick's hands ghosted over his shoulders and up his arms. His fingers slid between his then back down his arms. Jason sucked in a breath of surprise when Dick kissed him again. He'd been focused on his fingers. Fingers that were working their way down his side. Dick's mouth trailed down his neck and chest. He felt the anticipation building as he got lower and lower. He felt a stripe licked across the skin just above his pants. 

"Let's get you out of these," Dick said and pulled Jason's pants down and off. He kissed his ankle then set it carefully down on the bed. Dick didn't move for a few breaths. He could feel his eyes on him and his entire body thrummed with the need to be touched again. To have Dick back against him. 

The tongue sliding along his dick from base to tip was a shock and he let out a high noise. Dick's hand wrapped around him. "You okay?" He nodded quickly. "Good." Dick's mouth was back on him, sucking on the tip as his hand moved. He pulled against the cuffs. He wanted to touch. He wanted to thread his fingers through Dick's curls, feel the sharpness of his jaw and the way his throat worked. 

Dick's hand fell away and he swallowed him down. His body lit up and his knees came up. Dick slapped at his thigh. The sensitive skin burned with the contact. "I told you not to move," Dick said, he could hear the disappointment in his voice, and pushed his leg back down against the bed. He sucked lightly and when Jason didn't move he sucked harder. 

Jason loved kissing Dick, but he was addicted to his mouth on his dick, the feel of his hands on his hips and his tongue moving feverishly against him. He didn't think he'd ever get enough, then Dick would move a certain way and something new would spark under his skin and he'd chase after that new feeling. 

Dick's hands pushed at his thighs. He sucked on his balls and Jason felt the pad of Dick's thumb pushed at the skin behind. He whimpered and tried to move to shift away then froze when he remembered he wasn't supposed to move. The pressure was gone and Dick's hand was back on him. "Maybe another time." 

His shoulders relaxed and Dick moved. He felt his breath ghost along his neck, then cheek. He turned and tried to catch his lips, but Dick moved away. He strained as he tried to follow where he was sure Dick had gone. He got a quick kiss, then Dick moved again. He bit back a whine when he missed him a third time. Dick kissed his cheek and pushed his shoulders back to the bed.

"Do you want to make me feel good baby?" Dick purred against his ear. He nodded and Dick's lips brushed against his in a soft kiss before he moved back. He felt Dick's knee slide against his ribs and his mouth dropped open, wanting what he knew was coming next. 

"I love it when you're so eager for me," Dick said and brushed his fingers over his forehead before lifting his jaw and sliding in. Jason swallowed and Dick made a weak noise. Dick's hips jerked forward and he heard his palm land on the headboard. "Fuck Jay. You're gonna kill me before we even get started." 

He hummed, because he knew what it did to Dick and got another small noise. He smirked, well as much as he could with Dick in his mouth. He bobbed his head to the rhythm of Dick's thrusts. He felt him hit the back of his throat every few minutes. He tried to take him in deeper, but Dick moved back and the deeper thrusts stopped. He whined and pulled against the straps. Dick's thumb brushed over his lips, then pulled his mouth open further. Dick slid in deeper than before, his throat fluttered and he had to focus on not gagging. Dick didn't move, just held himself there. His lungs started to ache and his arm jerked in the strap. Dick pulled back. He had only sucked in a tiny sip of air before he went back to the shallow thrusts. Another deep one came and he felt his lungs burn, but trusted that Dick would move back. His throat burned, his jaw ached and his lips were numb. His mind had gone hazy from the lack of oxygen and every slide of Dick along his tongue and throat lit up every nerve in his body. When he could focus he could hear the wet noises as Dick used his mouth and throat. He hummed when Dick pulled out and kissed him. His lungs sucked in much needed air. 

"I'm gonna ride you now, okay?" Dick kissed him again before he moved off the bed. He kept a hand on Jason as he walked down to the foot of the bed. "Is this okay baby?" Dick wrapped a cuff loosely around his ankle. He nodded and Dick tightened it. Dick reached over and cuffed the other. Dick's hand stayed on his ankle, but he heard him on the floor.

"Hold on one second. I just have to. Oh there it is." He felt the strap on his leg tighten. Then the other. Then each of his arms. "I wish you could see what you looked like right now," Dick said. 

He jolted when Dick's fingers wrapped around his dick. They were slick and moved slowly across his skin. He rolled his hips as much as he could, but Dick moved away a tease again. 

"I've been thinking about this all day. I've been thinking about you. You feel so good inside me. My fingers aren't enough anymore." He could hear the sound of lube and the hitch of Dick's breath. He wanted the blindfold gone. He moved his head around, trying to shift it, but it was tied too tight. "I got ready for you while I was waiting for you to come home." Dick's hand slid up his side before he felt him closer again. He turned into the warmth and managed to capture Dick's lips. 

"Fuck, Jay," Dick sighed when he lowered himself down on him. "You feel so good. You're so good for me. Only for me," Dick breathed against his neck. Dick leaned back before he could kiss him again. 

Then he bounced in his lap. Dick moved until he found the right angle. Dick's hands moved from his chest to his legs and back as he shifted. He rode him, chasing after his pleasure. Jason was just a toy for him to use. Jason was surprised by the reaction that thought caused and Dick moaned louder when he twitched with interest. He heard the slide of Dick's hand joining the effort. He could hear it over the broken cries that made their way out of Dick's mouth. He wished that he could see what he looked like. His back would arch, head falling back as he gave himself over to the fire inside him. He heard Dick's cry as he felt him tighten around him. A second later he felt the splash of come hit his chest. Dick kept moving, rocking against him. Jason whimpered when Dick slid off him. His hand immediately wrapped around him and pumped slowly. 

"Jason baby, I know what you need. Do you trust me?" He nodded. His legs were freed. Dick had one of his knees over his shoulder. He licked, bit, and kissed his way from his knee to high on his thigh. 

Dick's mouth slipped past where Jason wanted it most and he felt a kiss to his balls, then further. His heart was pounding in his chest as Dick licked across him _there_. 

_Oh._

Dick's hand wrapped back around him and moved as Dick's tongue pressed harder. He heard his own breaths grow ragged as Dick's tongue circled and pushed further in. He hadn't been far behind Dick, and as Dick pushed his tongue in deep while his fingers worked their magic he came with a hoarse shout. 

The next thing he knew Dick was pulling his arms down and laying down next to him. "Not a wasted twenty bucks," Dick mumbled against the skin of his shoulder. Dick had to help him get his arms the rest of the way out of his shirt.

He flopped a thumbs up onto his stomach. He couldn't bother with words. Dick laughed. His jaw still ached as Dick kissed it and pulled his arm around him. He knew they needed to eat dinner and shower, but a nap didn't sound so bad. 

-

"Turn it off," he grumbled against Dick's stomach. Dick moved to grab his phone, his ridiculous alarm was going off. He grumbled when it moved Dick out from under him. 

"It's noon," Dick said. 

"I don't care," he replied and pulled Dick back where he wanted him. "We have today off." 

"You're not hungry?" Dick asked as he ran his hand through Jason's hair. He closed his eyes as he shook his head. 

"I'm good here." Jason didn't remember ever feeling this content before. He could spend the rest of the day listening to Dick's breathing as he pet his hair and be perfectly happy. 

They stayed in bed for another hour, only moving to the living room when Dick whined about how he was starving and Jason eventually gave up on his death grip and followed him out. He plopped poutily onto the couch and Dick could feel him staring into his shoulders as he opened the fridge and pulled out the leftover lasagna from a few nights before. He was about to carry it into the living room when Jason made a face at him and Dick sighed before he preheated the oven and set it inside to warm up. 

“I hate you,” Dick whined as he curled into him, burrowing his face into Jason’s armpit. He smelled so weirdly good, like warmth and the spice of his soap. Dick blew a raspberry into his side when his mouth found his skin and Jason yelped a nervous laugh and shoved his face away. 

They wrestled for a minute before Jason had him pinned beneath him, Dick too weak to push up the bulk of muscle that was his boyfriend without food in his stomach. “Is it so wrong that I want food to taste like it’s supposed to-- warm and good?” Jason asked with that smirk that looked more delicious than any food.

“I’m withering away.” Dick sighed and closed his eyes, letting his head roll to the side. “Get a good look at me now, I’m about to be a husk of the man I once was.” 

Jason poked his stomach and Dick jumped with a noise of surprise. He was grinning when Dick finally looked back at him. “You’ll be fine,” he promised him and then his eyes looked suddenly darker. “You just need something to distract you until it’s ready," he said as his body pressed a little more into his as he leaned in over him. 

Dick blinked finding it suddenly very difficult to swallow even though he immediately started salivating and it had nothing to do with his hunger. Lately he had been taking control of things sexually. They were exploring new boundaries and testing out what Jason liked and what he didn’t like. So far Dick knew that Jason liked to be gagged, but not choked. He could be bound as long as he didn’t leave him that way, and he liked it when Dick told him what to do. They had yet to try it the other way around. So Dick was surprised at how strongly he reacted to just Jason pinning him down. 

There was absolutely no way to play it cool because Jason’s leg was between his, pressing down against the situation in his lap. He raised an eyebrow and Dick bit his bottom lip. “Did you have anything in mind?”

“We could watch a movie,” Jason suggested leaning closer in, just out of Dick’s reach but that didn’t keep him from trying to kiss him anyway. 

“I’ve seen them,” Dick insisted, still determined to reach him. 

Jason laughed. “You have seen _all_ of the movies?” 

“ _Yes_ ,” he said impatiently and pulled against where Jason’s hands had his arms pinned by his elbows at his side. 

“We could read a book?” he offered instead, full on beaming at him now and Dick bit his lip when he leaned in just close enough for him to feel the heat off of his mouth and not be able to reach it. “Do you have another idea?” he asked when Dick didn’t say anything. He couldn’t. He was so hard that he thought his eyes might cross and switch sides with the tiniest amount of pressure. He pulled at his arms again but Jason held tighter and only when Dick groaned did he finally give in and swallow it right out of his mouth. 

Dick felt engulfed by him. The pressure of him, the heat of him. The friction of his knee slowly hitching up between his legs. And more than that was this intense need. The need to be fucked and used and _needed_ by him, yes. But also the need to be loved by Jason and only Jason that was such an intense constriction of his chest that Dick wasn’t sure if it would almost be better to die than to love someone so fully. But even as it hurt, he felt high. “J-Jay,” he gasped shakily when he pulled back, taking all but a single breath with him. The kiss had been so soft and teasing and yet it had left him so spent. 

Jason kissed him again and cut him off, his tongue scooping the words out of his mouth in a slow brush over his own. “Don’t talk. Just let me love you," he whispered and let go of his hold on Dick’s arms, running them up his shoulders and neck and into his hair and back as his mouth continued it’s assault of unspoken words pouring into him. He felt full. Yet he needed to be fuller. And now that his arms were free he pulled at the small of Jason’s back until they were flat up against each other and he rolled his hips. “N-no.” Jason shuddered. “Slow baby.” 

Dick groaned and pulled uselessly at the waist of Jason’s boxers. “But I need you,” he told him not giving a single fuck how pathetic he sounded. “I need you _so bad_.”

Jason’s hand moved from his hair to his cheek, thumb running over Dick’s jaw as he kissed him again with the same deep and torturous way. “How much do you need me?” he asked against his lips before his thumb hooked under Dick’s jaw and tilted his head up. He ran his lips over the line of his, his morning stubble scratching his skin. 

Dick made a noise he didn’t even know how to describe. It seemed impossible for one person to be as sexy as Jason was. Just the night before he had been so open and vulnerable, giving all of himself to Dick-- and now here he was ready to take it back. And Dick would give it to him. He would give him anything. Whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it. “More than air,” he said. “I feel so empty without you.” He pressed up against him, gripping at Jason’s shoulders as Jason ran the hand not holding his neck down Dick’s ribs. He arched his back and Jason caught it, slipping his hand down and then down further into the back of his underwear. He gripped hard at Dick’s ass and against the softness of his other touch, Dick let out a sharp breath and his dick twitched against Jason’s thigh. 

“I’ll give you what you need, baby," Jason promised him and bit at his throat as his middle finger slid between his buttcheek, rubbing right up against him and _-ah_! 

“Fuck.” Dick gasped as his finger traced the rim of him, the teasing touch sending electricity through every part of his body and making him clench up. Jason shushed him, moving his hand back up his ass in a slow caress that was doing nothing to sooth him. He moved back down and did it again and then back up and down again and again until Dick thought his brain might actually short circuit. And Jason kissed him, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth and between his teeth with a soft pull. “Baby. I… can’t…” He didn’t even know what to say. He couldn’t remember why he started speaking. 

“Do you need more?” Jason asked. Dick closed his eyes and nodded, trying to hold onto some kind of sense but he could barely keep it together. Jason kissed him once more before he moved down Dick’s body with that torturous scratch of his stubble leaving a burning trail behind him. He nuzzled the crotch of Dick’s straining boxers before he pulled back and flipped Dick with one strong pull at his hips. It was so quick that Dick’s knees shook from where they were now seated on the couch and he looked wide eyed over his shoulder at Jason. 

But he didn’t smile, it wasn’t amusing anymore, Jason’s eyes were focused on his ass as he slowly peeled Dick out of his boxers. He pulled them free of Dick’s ankles and threw them over the arm of the couch before he took his ass in his hands, squeezing it before he spread him open. He pressed a thumb against him and Dick fell forward, his elbows unable to hold him when the shock running up him. It pushed his ass higher and he heard Jason let out a rough, “Holy fuck,” as he pressed at him again. 

Dick bit back a whimper when Jason kissed his ass, running a soft caress down his inner thigh and back up before he spread him again and he moved to his entrance. He kissed it, soft and teasing, just enough to punch the air out of Dick’s lungs before the flat of his tongue lead a slow trail from his taint all the way up. Dick squirmed but Jason’s hands were strong and he was barely able to keep it together as he repeated the motion again and one more time. His tongue ringed him and then licked up again and he felt Jason’s thumb press just right underneath before he spread his cheeks open again. He put his mouth over him and sucked until Dick was relaxed enough for his tongue to slip inside of him and he could move in and out and around and Dick couldn’t breath.

Jason pulled off of him for a moment and Dick barely had a second to protest before a long wet finger pushed slowly into him and pressed up. He gasped out an " _Ah_!" and looked back over his shoulder, Jason's lips were slick with spit and swollen as they hung open watching. He added another finger and Dick pressed his face into the cushions. He reached back for him, clumsily gripping at his wrist to pull him deeper to get more. He stopped for a moment, fingers still half inside before he felt him spit right at the tip and added a third. 

Dick moaned and Jason pushed his fingers in and out in an excruciatingly slow rhythm. And Jason was moving too, his free hand spreading across his lower back, moving up and down his spine as he rocked his hips slowly with his hand, hard cock sliding against Dick's ass. 

He wanted him. He wanted Jason more than he had ever wanted anything in his life. More than he wanted to be a cop. More than he had wanted to be a detective. If Jason had demanded he quit before he would fuck him Dick would call Svoboda that instant and plea with her, as Jason's fingers continued to fuck him from behind. 

Jason pulled his fingers out of him and Dick moaned in misery. Jason kissed his back. "I know. Just give me one minute baby," he promised as he got off of the couch and ran into their bedroom. Dick looked after him feeling desperate and empty, his own fingers trying to fill a space that just wasn't possible in Jason's absence. Jason was back a moment later, watching Dick with a slack jaw as he fingered himself, begging Jason with his eyes to take his place. "Fuck me..." Jason muttered squeezing lube into his palm before he coated his dick and took his place back behind Dick. 

He rubbed the head of his dick down Dick's ass until it stuck at his entrance. Dick held his breath and Jason's hand wrapped around his hips and slowly pulled him back into him. His eyes shut and he relished the feeling of complete and total bliss and then Jason started moving. He thrusted forward, hitting every hotspot Dick had, heat building in his gut until he felt that he could catch fire. He pushed back against him and each thrust got harder and deeper until Dick was saying a string of words he didn't even recognize. 

"Do you think you can cum like this?" Jason asked, pressed into his back and panting in his ear. Dick tried to nod but he wasn't in control of his body anymore. Instead he pushed back harder and Jason met him with a groan. He moved faster until Dick couldn’t keep up anymore and he was so blissfully full that the colors around him didn't make sense. He came hard and completely untouched just as Jason was gasping his name and stilling inside of him. 

Dick fell down onto the couch, his knees unable to hold him anymore, Jason barely holding himself off of him. The oven beeped and Jason laughed and Dick groaned and pulled him down next to him, burying his face in his neck. 

The lasagna burned. But Dick didn't care.

-

It was difficult to get up the next day. He felt like he had run two marathons and his limbs hurt in a way he wasn't sure they ever had before. Jason was entirely too chipper when he kissed him awake at ten, smiling as he nuzzled into him already dressed and ready to go. "Noooo," Dick groaned and pulled at his shirt. "Bed."

Jason just laughed. "We have to go get Lian a birthday present," he reminded him. Dick frowned and he kissed him again. "I can go without you… but then she's getting legos."

"Don't you dare." Dick poked him and let Jason pull him up so he could go shower and save Lian from whatever Jason would have gotten her. 

It only took an hour and a half for Dick to declare that they had gotten Lian the 'perfect gift' they walked around the mall for another half hour while Dick tried to find something for Tim. Dick was debating between two shirts from one of the shows Tim always talked about. He knew he'd love either one. He put his chin on Dick's shoulder and hooked his arm around his stomach. "I think this design is better, but this color is better." 

"You get him one and I'll get him the other." 

Dick laughed. "I'm not doing your gift shopping for you. You can find him something yourself." 

"What are you getting me?" he asked. He closed his eyes. Shopping was exhausting. 

"Is your birthday coming up too?" 

"You're literally holding a gift for my twin right now," he said flatly and pinched Dick. 

"Oh right. That means your birthday is the same." Dick pulled away with a cheeky grin and put one of the shirts back. Dick took his hand as they walked up to the register. "I got your gift weeks ago," Dick told him while they waited in line. "It's already wrapped and everything." 

"Really?" he asked. 

Dick smiled. "I hid it too so you wouldn't go snooping." 

"I feel special," Jason replied. 

"You should. It's the best present ever." 

"Even better than what we got Lian?" 

Dick pretended to consider it and pinched his fingers together. "Maybe this much better." 

They stopped at a pretzel stand before heading out. Dick alternated between popping the bites into Jason's mouth and cramming a few into his own. He handed the keys over to Dick when they got to the car. "I'm wiped," he said as he fell into the passenger seat. 

"Too much fun?" Dick asked with a wink. 

"Impossible," Jason replied, though maybe they had enjoyed themselves too much this weekend. 

He woke up in the middle of the night coughing. Dick rubbed his back and got him some water as he hacked up his lungs. 

"I think I'm sick," he mumbled as Dick handed over the glass. 

"You're burning up," Dick said when he touched his forehead. Dick searched the apartment and came back with Tylenol and a regretful look. "I can go get some medicine," he offered. Jason took the Tylenol then pulled Dick back into the bed. He was freezing.

"It's 3am. I'll be fine until the morning." 

When he finally gave up on sleep, he wished that he had sent Dick for medicine. His head felt like it was going to burst, and each useless cough only made his head throb even more. He hadn't slept well, his body flipping between hot and cold. Dick finally got up around 8 and said he'd be right back. 

"What is that?" he asked when Dick walked back into the bedroom with two bags full of things. He didn't think he'd been gone that long, but Jason wasn't sure if he was even really awake. 

"Sick supplies." Dick forced a cup of medicine down his throat then handed him a bottle of red Gatorade. 

"My favorite," he whispered as he drank it. 

"I know. Blue is so much better," Dick replied and started unpacking the bags onto the nightstand. He couldn't track much, but saw Dick pick up one of the bags and leave the room. When he came back he was dressed for work. 

"Tim's going to watch the store for you. I'll stop by in a few hours. Keep drinking these, okay?" He nodded. Dick's lips were cool on his forehead. 

-

"Jason?" 

He felt cool fingers on his cheek. He turned to the voice and cracked his eyes open. Dick was smiling at him. 

"Hey baby, you feeling any better?" 

He shook his head. 

"Okay, well can you sit up for me? I have food." 

It took both of them to get him propped against the headboard. He frowned as he watched Dick set a pillow in his lap and grab a bowl. 

"You brought me the nectar of the gods?" he asked as he ate spoonfuls of the soup. 

"I microwaved some chicken noodle," Dick replied. 

"Nectar," he replied and kept eating. Dick touched his forehead when he finished the bowl and leaned back against the headboard. His fingers were soft. He opened his eyes enough to look at him. 

"You're pretty hot." 

"So are you," Jason replied. 

Dick rolled his eyes. "I forgot to grab a thermometer earlier. Take some more medicine and keep drinking." He made a face after taking the cup of medicine and Jason handed over another bottle of Gatorade. He took Jason's trash and came back with some cups of applesauce. 

He slept for most of the day, when he woke up he drank another bottle of water and ate two cups of applesauce while he watched a telenovela. It was embarrassing how much effort he'd had to put in to tearing off the foil. 

"You know this is Spanish right?" 

Jason nodded and watched Dick change out of his suit. His eyes hurt and he turned off the TV. 

"Do you want some more _nectar_?" Dick asked as he sat down on the bed next to him. 

"Yes," he replied and if his face wasn't already red from the fever he knew it would have been. 

\---

Jason stayed sick until Tuesday morning and pouted the entire time that Dick got dressed on his day off to go run the bookstore for him. He insisted over and over again that he was fine to go in, but his nose was still red and his voice was crackly from all of the coughing and Dick refused to let his sickness roll over into his birthday the next day. 

“Why can’t Tim do it?” Jason whined as Dick pulled on his shoes. 

“Your Dad needed his help with something at the company today," Dick lied easily glad that he was facing away from him. He had always been a terrible liar, but he was great at picking up on other people’s. “Besides, he’s been working there since Sunday, There are only so many hours you can stare at books for.”

“You mean _read?_ ” Jason asked clearly annoyed and Dick grinned back at him. 

“I’ll only be gone for a couple of hours," Dick promised him, and kissed his cheek. He had been dodging Jason’s kisses for the past few days knowing that he would definitely catch whatever he had if he didn’t, and he didn’t have time to be sick that week. Jason pouted and Dick laughed. “If your fever is still gone by the time I get back, I'll give you an early birthday present,” he promised with a wink and kissed his cheek again before he left Jason hot and bothered in a way that was completely unrelated to fever. 

He met Selina, Conner and Scarlet at the bookshop, both of them looking downright gleeful when Dick showed up with the key and let them in. He had called and gotten Scarlet to work a double shift that day and to move her Wednesday to Sunday. Usually the shop was closed on Sundays, but Dick had arranged for it to be closed on Wednesday instead for a super awesome and super secret surprise party. Neither Tim or Jason had ever been very big into their birthday. Usually they just had an easy family dinner and maybe a drink with some friends. But Dick loved birthdays. He loved spoiling the people that he cared about, and with Jason out of the shop for a few days it was just too good to resist. Like it was destined to be. Selina and Conner had been entirely too easy to convince and once they got Bruce to get on board it was too late to turn back. Originally they had planned to have it at the manor, but with Tim living there it was too risky and Dick wanted to be able to spend every part of Jason’s birthday with him and not have to worry about the party. So Scarlet went about her opening duties while Dick and Conner carried in boxes from Selina’s car. 

Dick was glad he hadn’t gone to pick up decorations, they would have looked cheesy in comparison to all of the ornate decor that Selina just had on hand. They spent a good part of the morning hanging row after row of light up stars. Marge watched with amused interest, occasionally picking at Dick and telling him that he was doing it wrong. After he got the last sting hing he dropped into the chair across from her, his arms feeling like jelly as he sipped his coffee. It wasn’t as good as Jason’s, but he was still too excited to care.

“You must really be in love to do all of this work.” Marge poked at him with a fond smile. 

Dick shrugged and smiled down at his cup. “I guess I’m pretty smitten,” he admitted. “But I mean, have you seen him?” He demanded and she laughed before Selina called him back over. 

By the time the shop was set to close, the entire thing was sparkling in golds and blacks and starlight and it looked like a scene straight out of the Great Gatsby. Conner insisted it was cheesy, but Dick eventually won him over when he told him that they were celebrating their _roaring twenties_ \-- which came right after mid twenties.

Jason was cooking when he got home and the entire apartment smelled like garlic and spices. “Hey,” Dick complained when he found him at the stove. “You aren’t supposed to be out of bed." He crossed his arms. "When you’re sick, I do the cooking.” 

“You cooking is heating up canned soup.” Jason rolled his eyes. His voice sounded a lot better and his nose was only a little pink now. “And I wanted chili. Here-” he held the spoon out for Dick to try it. He pouted, glaring at him as he opened his mouth. “Well?” 

“It’s amazing,” he said unhappily and Jason huffed a breath out of his nose before he went back to stirring the pot. 

“How was the store?” he asked when it was done and ladling out bowls for them. 

“Old and dusty,” Dick sighed which wasn’t exactly a lie. He was still a little stuffy from hanging the lights. “Marge says you are the luckiest man in the world to have a boyfriend who loves you as much as I do.” He grinned at him. Also not a total lie. 

Jason smirked at that and kissed Dick hard on the mouth. “I might have to agree with her,” he muttered into his lips before he sat at the table and left Dick wanting. 

“You are evil,” Dick accused, stabbing his spoon into his bowl. 

“You’ve refused to kiss me for the last three days and I’m evil?”

-

Dick attempted to make french toast the next morning while Jason was still asleep. He had made sure he was thoroughly fucked the night before so that he couldn’t beat him awake before he brought him his breakfast in bed. He looked amused and a little weary at the least burnt of the toast that Dick carried to him on a little tray, but he took a bite anyway and smiled and Dick was relieved that it was at least edible. “So what’s the plan for ‘ _The best birthday in the world?_ ’” Jason asked, rolling his eyes as he quoted Dick. 

“Well-” Dick checked his watch. “We are meeting Tim and Conner for lunch in an hour, then forcing them to go watch that horrible weird movie with the dancers you are so excited about.” Jason grinned. “Then dinner at your parents.” He shrugged playing it cool. “What?” he asked when Jason made a face. 

“When do I get this amazing gift that you got me?” he asked pouting. 

Dick raised an eyebrow at him and acted confused. “Gift?” he contemplated for a minute before his smile took over without his permission. “Oh, you mean this gift?” he asked holding up a flat wrapped box roughly the size of his hand. Jason reached for it, but Dick held it away from him. He shrieked out a laugh when Jason launched himself at him, almost knocking the toast off the bed as he pinned Dick down by straddling his waist and pulled the box out of his hand. He plopped a kiss on Dick’s mouth before he could complain at him and he watched as Jason ripped the paper off and frowned at it. 

It was a little black frame with the corner of a very old piece of paper inside about the size of Dick’s palm. To anyone else it probably wouldn’t have meant much but he saw Jason’t eyes widen and he shook his head. “This isn’t… this really can’t be… How?” he demanded from Dick. 

“I have a friend in Bludhaven who works at the History museum restoring artifacts,” he explained feeling a faint flush run up his neck. “They had the exhibit come through and a few of the letters were in really rough shape and she found this corner that didn’t belong to any of them. Long story short she forgot to put it back in the crate when the exhibit left and just didn’t tell anyone-- except me.” He swallowed as Jason stared at him. “Technically it is very illegal for us to have it… but I don’t think they will come looking for it any time soon.” 

Jason set the frame right above Dick’s head and leaned over him, looking over every inch of his face with his golden flaked eyes. “This really is the best present ever. Like _ever_ ," he repeated and shook his head. 

Dick beamed at him and made a face. “Of course it is. Did you think I was lying?” he demanded and Jason shut him up with a kiss. 

They were late to lunch, having spent too long kissing under the corner of a letter than held Jane Austen’s name and her love for her sister Cassandra.

-

Tim had a hickey. It was deep and huge on the side of his neck and the collar of his shirt did nothing but highlight that it was there. 

"I see you two had some fun this morning as well," Dick pointed out. Tim elbowed Conner and adjusted his shirt. He could still see the mark. 

"You're covering that before dinner right?" Jason asked. 

"Yes. I didn't even know it was there until we were already here," Tim grumbled. "At least we were on time." 

Conner was just smiling as he sat next to Tim. Dick gave him a subtle low five that Jason pretended he didn't see. 

He told them about the present that Dick got him. Conner's smile went stiff. He realized the incredible bar that he'd just set. Dick changed topics asking about the movie they were watching. Dick had described it as weird and at least five other variations of the word after they watched the trailer. Jason partly wanted to see it because for once Dick actually didn't sound excited about a movie. 

Lunch ran long. They talked about their favorite birthdays. Dick was astonished that Jason and Tim didn't have the same one. Tim and Jason just laughed it off. Conner's involved a bouncy castle and a police raid. No one had managed to guess the correct age yet. Dick got a few texts and kept looking at Jason as he replied to them. Jason ignored his weirdness, he liked to think that he was getting used to Dick just being odd sometimes. 

Dick went to the restroom and when he came back he said he had paid for lunch. Conner threw his card at the box office attendant when Tim reached for his wallet. The poor girl had fumbled the card and rushed to give it back. Tim told Conner he wanted the biggest coke icee they had before turning to Dick and asking, "Can we have some quarters to play the zombie game, dad?" 

Dick sighed like it was a hardship before handing over a few ones. 

"Please don't ever call me dad again," Dick mumbled as they walked away. Jason smirked at him and followed after Tim while Dick stayed to keep Conner company. 

"I think they're up to something," Tim said as they waited for the cinematic to finish. 

"I told Dick we didn't do parties," he replied and took aim. "It's just this and then dinner with mom and dad."

"Conner hasn't thrown a card at someone since our first date. He's nervous about something." 

"You think too much," he replied as he blasted the first zombie's head off. "Be more like Bob." 

Tim laughed and they devolved into teasing each other. Tim stood victorious as Conner presented him with his icee. 

"It's okay, babe. We'll play something later and you can beat me." Dick kissed him on the cheek and turned to ask Tim about some person they went to school with who he'd seen in line. 

Dick and Tim talked through the entire pre-show, then the previews.

"Hey Jay, are you excited for the new James Bond movie too?" Conner asked leaning forward in his seat so that he could see Jason. 

"Oh yeah. So much. It looks amazing. I'm probably going to watch it with my _boyfriend,_ " Jason replied with as much fake enthusiasm as he could manage. 

"Your brother is so needy," Dick told Tim and turned to Jason.

Dick sighed as the final bumper played and the lights lowered. "Happy birthday," Dick grumbled and rested his head on his shoulder. 

Halfway through the movie Dick's hand slid down between his legs and back to rest on his thigh. Jason glanced over Dick's shoulder to Tim and Conner but they were engrossed in the movie. Tim looked horrified, his hand over the lower side of his face like he'd covered his mouth and hadn't put his hand down yet. He wondered how long it had been that way. He moved his leg and Dick's hand slid further up. When his palm slid over the growing bulge in his pants, Jason couldn't do it. He couldn't get a hand job a seat away from his brother. 

"Bathroom," he whispered and worked his way awkwardly down the aisle. The couple at the end grouched at him. He didn't bother shooting them a look back, he just booked it down the stairs and out the door. Dick was only a few steps behind him. He looked down the hall and then back at Dick. Dick grinned and pulled him into the family restroom. The lock clicked as Dick pushed him against the wall. 

"You've ruined movies for me," Dick grumped as he yanked at Jason's zipper. "I can't even sit through one next to you without wanting this." 

Dick kissed him and shoved his hands in his boxers at the same time. He was close, but Dick seemed like he was okay with that. He managed to get Dick's belt unbuckled before Dick growled out a curse and let go long enough to push his pants down, take them both in hand and pull Jason back down into a scalding kiss. 

Dick came first, moaning into his mouth as he ruined Jason's shirt. Jason followed after and slumped back against the wall when Dick let go of him. 

"Will we never be able to go to the movies again?" Jason asked with a breathy laugh. 

Dick kissed him and grabbed some paper towels out of the dispenser. They were brown and barely softer than paper and did nothing to help the mess on Jason's shirt. 

"You can wear my hoodie?" Dick offered. It was hanging over the armrest back in the theater. He sighed at least it was dark. 

-

"We're meeting you guys there right?" Jason said as he started walking away from Tim and Conner. He wanted to change before going over to his parents'. 

"We'll be late. We should just go together," Dick said. He had stopped walking and Jason would have to pull him, or let go of his hand if he wanted to go any further. He tugged on the front of Dick's hoodie and looked at him. Dick just tugged on his hand. 

"Fine," he grumbled. He was beginning to think Tim was right. They were up to something. 

"Dick," he said quietly as Conner turned down the street to the bookstore. Dick hummed and continued to look out the window like it was exciting and not the same streets he had patrolled for months. "What did you do?" 

He could hear Tim whispering the same thing to Conner in the front seat. Both of them were silent until they parked in the back. He saw one of his parents' cars a few spots down and shot Tim a look. Tim and Conner were whisper arguing with each other the entire way to the front door of the store. Jason tried to keep a smile. Dick didn't know. Jason hadn't actually told him why they didn't celebrate their birthday anymore. He actually was surprised when they opened the doors and everyone jumped out. There were lights everywhere. His mom was in a flapper dress and his dad was dressed like Charlie Chaplin. They immediately pulled them in for hugs. 

"Oh honey. What are you wearing?" Selina asked as she tugged on the pocket of the hoodie. 

"Clothes. What are _you_ wearing?" he asked his dad. But got a mime act in response. He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay. I'm going away now." 

"Happy birthday!" Selina called. His dad was holding up a text card with the same sentiment written on it. 

"Yeah," he grumbled. 

He walked around talking to some of his regulars. He was surprised to see Garth there. Then he introduced him to his boyfriend Jackson and he was less surprised. He saw Dick in between conversations, but he moved around talking to everyone that was there. Jason sighed and looked around for Tim. He wanted to complain to someone. 

He saw Conner first. He was bigger, and therefore easier to find. He was talking to Tiger and Barbara with a smile pasted on his face. Tim wasn't anywhere that he could see. He heard Dick's laugh from somewhere in the stacks. He sighed. No one noticed when he slipped outside. 

Tim was leaning against the wall outside a few feet away from the door. Of course he'd escaped too. 

"It's like we're teenagers again," he mumbled. 

"I don't remember getting snapped at to 'just have fun'," Tim said with a shrug. He could see his jaw work as he leaned his head back against the wall. 

Jason tugged him around into the alley and up onto the fire escape. Tim grinned as he slid his feet over the edge and leaned on the railing. Jason looked at the wall of the building across from them and missed their tree house at the manor. It had a view of the lake and their house depending on what side you were on. 

"That is an ugly wall," Tim commented. Jason laughed, surprised that they had been thinking the same thing, and looked at him. 

"So what's going on with you and Conner?" 

Tim's face crumpled. He opened his mouth, let out a small whine and started crying. Jason scooted over and pulled him against him. He had known that something was wrong, but he hadn't expected it could be this wrong. It took a lot to get Tim to cry. That was part of the reason that he had hated Dick for so long. Tim grabbed onto him and cried against his shoulder. 

"I need words, Timmy. Do I need to go down there and ruin everyone's night by getting my ass kicked on our birthday again?" 

Tim chuckled and shook his head. "No, it's not-" He cut himself off with a wet hiccup. "I'm being-" Tim cut himself off and was quiet for a while. 

"Is it the wedding thing?" 

"Some of it," Tim mumbled. Tim sat back and wiped his face. "It's just--We had our life planned." 

"I know. You made me type it up for you while you dictated it. You'd do long distance until you got married. Mandated dates at least every two weeks. Dates where I, Jason, am there do count. Then after the wedding you, Tim, will move to Metropolis. I think there was something about popping out a couple babies, but that seems physically impossible to me." 

"No that's not-" Tim laughed. " _Us_. You and me. We planned everything and we were supposed to do it together." 

"We were thirteen." He remembered that too. They'd signed it in blood, because Tim had insisted. Blood apparently made it binding. Jason just remembered sucking on his finger and thinking his signature looked crooked. He thought Tim had forgotten about their life's plan. They hadn't talked about it since they graduated high school. 

"And? You opened the bookstore. Like you said." Tim toyed with the end of his sleeves. A nervous habit he hadn't gotten rid of. "I didn't- I'm just a temp." 

"But you met Conner. You're _marrying_ Conner. That was on the list." He remembered being jealous, so jealous when Tim and Conner had first started dating. He had thought he was losing Tim all over again. But Conner had never seemed to mind that Jason tagged along randomly to dinner. And Jason always made sure he didn't stay too long at their first apartment. When Conner had proposed, he had been sure that Tim had forgotten all about their plan. They had been children anyway. Life didn't fit into a bulleted list, even if it was signed in blood. 

"We were supposed to get married _together_. I don't want to be married if you're not-" Tim looked at him and seemed to really mean it. 

"Is that why you've been pushing it back?" Jason couldn't believe it. He remembered the look on Conner's face when they said they were pushing the date back again. He didn't like knowing he was part of the cause. 

"The first one really was because of the fire. But it felt like it was a sign that I was making a mistake."

"Conner isn't a mistake," Jason said and scoffed. 

"No. Not him. He's like everything I could ever dream of having. I know that I am meant to be with that man. But it just felt like the timing wasn't right. I just wanted to wait for you to meet your person."

Jason frowned. He had been dating Kori the entire time. But Tim hadn't liked her. Hadn't thought that she was his person. 

"And this last one?" 

"You started dating Dick," Tim said. 

"And?" 

"I wanted to wait. To see if maybe you two-" 

"We just started dating!" His heart thudded in his chest. "You can't make Conner wait until we're like ready or whatever for," he swallowed throat suddenly tight, " _that."_

"No I know. I- he's put up with this, and has been so amazing. And I can't help but wonder if maybe he's regretting it. He doesn't deserve this. And we'd be married already if I wasn't - well me." 

"Conner wants to marry you. If he didn't, I don't think that he'd let you push the wedding back." He nudged Tim so he looked at him. "Maybe he thinks that you're using this as an excuse and you don't want to marry him?" 

"What? He knows-" Tim stared at the wall. "He knows," he said again quietly. 

"Why don't you go tell him again, just so he's 100% sure? Maybe tell him that even if the venue burns down while everyone's in it you'll just get married in the parking lot. Soot covered faces, firetrucks serenading you down the aisle, mom sobbing in the corner."

"You're so romantic, no wonder Dick loves you," Tim said giving him a light punch. 

"Dick loves me because I'm the hot twin," he replied and shot Tim his smuggest look. He got an eye roll and barfing noises as his response. 

"Ugh. I can't believe I have to share a birthday with you," Tim grumbled and got to his feet.

"For the rest of our days douche," he replied. "Now go talk to your fiancé." 

Jason watched Tim climb down the fire escape. He leaned back and thought about what he'd said. He had really thought that him and Dick-- he shook his head. Tim was wrong. A hopeful idiot that thought too much. The metal started to bite into his ass so he pushed up. It was his birthday, he should probably be at the party. 

A few hours later, Dick found him in the back room reading one of the new books he'd gotten in. He glanced up at him then went back to the book. Dick sat down across from him and leaned against the metal rack opposite him. 

"You're not having fun are you?" 

"I'm enjoying this book," he replied. Dick chuckled. 

"We can get out of here. People have started leaving." 

He checked the page and set the book back on the box he'd pulled it from. He'd finish it in the morning. They were subdued as they walked through the party. Dick said bye to a few people and Jason waved and nodded to the ones that wished him one last happy birthday. They caught a cab back to the apartment. 

"Are you mad at me?" Dick asked while he stood in the bathroom door. Jason paused in brushing his teeth and looked at him in the mirror. 

"I told you I didn't want to do anything for my birthday." 

"So you are," Dick said. 

Jason spit and rinsed his mouth before turning. "I'm not mad." He took Dick's hands in his. "I just wish you'd listened to me." 

"I thought you'd have fun." He smiled at the pout Dick had on his face and kissed him. 

"I had fun in the morning," he offered. Dick grinned and pulled him down the hall. 

-

He spent the next morning straightening things and wiping glitter off of everything. His parents had cleaned up after everyone left, and Jason was grateful for it, but he still had to spend more time than he wanted getting it back to normal. He pulled a champagne flute out of the kids tree and decided he was done with the day. 

Dick texted him when he got home that he was staying late. He had told him they'd caught a pretty big case a few weeks ago and he felt like they were getting close. He barely felt Dick curl up behind him. When he checked the time it was nearly five in the morning. He faintly caught the whiff of something sweet as he fell back to sleep. _Perfume?_ Dick was passed out, drooling into his pillow when he woke up. He scribbled out a note and stuck it on top of Dick's phone before he got ready for work. 

**RH** : Can you stop by and pick up the cake on your way over? It was supposed to be done during my lunch break, but they just called and said that it wouldn't be ready until 4. 

**JW:** Sure. 

**RH** : I owe you. 

Jason texted Dick that he had been given a mission and got back a short, 'see you at the party'. 

He waited in a line of irritated people at the bakery. Then got to the counter and had to wait for another twenty minutes for them to find the cake. He thanked the poor girl as the handed over the cake with apologies dripping out of her mouth. 

He pushed into Roy's apartment. He knew he was late, but he hadn't expected the room to be full. He hadn't expected Kori to be standing across the room talking to Dick and Roy either. He managed to get a smile on his face before anyone noticed him.

"Thank you so much man," Roy said as he directed him where to put the cake. 

"No problem. One question though," Jason said quietly. "Why didn't you tell me Kori was coming?" 

"I didn't know," Roy whispered. "She just showed up." 

Jason nodded and smiled when Lian careened into his legs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Bum Bum BAAAAM!_
> 
> Weren't expecting that were you? What am I kidding. Of course you were. But here it is. The dreaded Kori sighting. What will happen next? How will Jason react? 
> 
> Tune in next week for the next episode of WHERE I WANT TO BE.


	10. Chapter 10

They wrapped their case earlier than either Dick or Tiger thought that they would, and for once they were finished with their paperwork and out the door by five. 

"Good work today," Tiger grunted at him. He hadn't exactly been what Dick would call warm since the dinner party, but he was more pleasant. Dick had even caught him laughing at one of his puns the other day before he could clamp it down. He was pretty sure that the change had to do mostly with Barbara seeing as she was blessed with Dick's same sense of humor only she was beautiful and let Tiger see her boobs. But it was nice to see nonetheless. "Got time for a drink?" 

Dick made a face, he hated turning Tiger down when he rarely asked. "I can't today, I've got a raging party to go to."

Tiger raised an eyebrow at him. "Gonna be a late night?"

He shrugged. "Probably not. Her bedtime is eight thirty." He grinned and waved at Tiger as he found his way back to his car. 

He stopped at home so he could put his service pistol away before Jason texted him that he'd been sent off on an errand and Dick should head over without him. He sighed and pulled his jacket back on before he headed over to Roy's. He was the first adult to arrive to a room of just Roy and Grace and a dozen screaming girls. Roy looked like he could have kissed him when he walked in with a twenty-four count of crap beer that Grace took from him before Lian ran up to him. 

"Where have you been?" She demanded like they had agreed on the time he would show up beforehand. 

"I got stuck at work." He sighed and kneeled next to where she was glaring at him with her arms crossed. "I told my partner I had to go, but he _made_ me stay and do all of his homework!" 

Lian made a horrified face. "Homework!?" She demanded like homework in the summer was the worst possible thing. "How rude!"

Dick grinned. "Has your dad been making you watch Full House again?" She just grinned and grabbed Dick's hand pulling him over to introduce her ' _boyfriend_ ' to the girls. This was news to Dick, but Lian explained that even though Dick had a boyfriend, he needed a girlfriend too. So she stepped up to take on the burden. He spent fifteen minutes answering questions about his evil partner, and he told them a crazy made up story about how he had stolen him away from his best friend and forced Dick to work with him. He was just thinking that he couldn't wait for Tiger and Lian to meet when a hand tapped his shoulder and he looked up over his shoulder at Kori offering an uncomfortable smile down at him. 

He blinked a few times before he asked, "Star?" Just to make sure. 

She stuffed her hands in her pockets with a little nod. "Hi Dick." 

All of the girls around them giggled and Dick pushed himself up to hug her. He wasn't sure why he was so surprised, Roy and Kori were close. They always had been. He knew that they kept in contact after she had left, but still he watched as Lian hugged her hard in a state of almost shock. 

There was part of Dick that had expected for his feelings about Kori to have shifted the closer he got to Jason. He knew that she had hurt him. And he hated that. He didn't like knowing that their opinions of her were so different and that they had gotten different parts of her. He also thought that his rejection of her would make it uncomfortable for them to be around each other. He could tell that it was for Kori, at least a little bit. She was standing a little too far away from him, her posture curled in making her look small-- which was a feat for her. But she still looked friendly as always, eyes shining with the same stars as she looked him over. "You look good. Happy." She smiled. 

And Dick smiled back at her. "I am," he told her and then chuckled at just how happy he was. "You look good too, Star. How has San Francisco been to you?"

"Fine." She shrugged and Dick knew that it wasn't. There was a lot more going on there but a kid's birthday party wasn't the place to talk about it. "But everything is so busy there. It's hard to meet people. I was actually thinking about coming back home."

That surprised him. He was about to ask why when Roy came up and pushed a beer into their hands. They talked about stupid things, trivial stuff that didn't get to anything super personal. Kori talked about her job and Roy talked about Lian's new school and Dick told Kori all about being a detective. They kept it going until Roy went to greet Jason at the door and Kori looked over at him with wide eyes before frowning back at Dick. 

"Have you talked to Jason at all?" Dick asked her pretty sure he already knew the answer. 

She shook her head. "I knew he was coming," she admitted. "I wanted to talk to him, but…" She looked bashful. "I also wanted to talk to you."

A rock dropped into his gut. "Look, Kori, I should probably tell you-"

"Hey babe," Jason said as he walked up next to him. He pulled on his suspenders and kissed him hard on the mouth, smiling at him. "I missed you," he said like he hadn't seen him for a month. 

Dick blinked at him bewildered. "I missed you too," he told him and Jason grinned as he slipped his arm around Dick's shoulders.

He looked over at Kori who was staring between the two of them in shock. Dick didn't know what to say to her, but locked his arm securely around Jason's waist as he seemed to realize that she was there. 

"Oh, hi Kori," Jason offered lamely before he pulled Dick away back over to Roy who had watched the whole thing seemingly just as shocked as Dick was. 

Lian found her way over and stole Jason to introduce him to her friends as her _'boyfriend's boyfriend,'_ and Dick sighed deeply at Roy. "How bad do you think this is going to be?" He asked looking back at Kori who Grace had gone over to talk to. Roy didn't answer, he just cracked open another beer and pushed it over to Dick. 

But Dick didn't let it get weird. It was easy enough to keep Kori and Jason apart seeing as neither of them really wanted to be around the other. And for the most part Jason was easy to occupy since Lian was demanding his attention. He grinned back at Dick while she brushed his hair and tied it up with a bow on the top of his head and Dick's heart thudded hard. Generally in relationships, he never thought about the future. He had always been a live in the moment guy. But watching Jason with Lian, Dick couldn't help but think about Jason with a kid of their own. Teaching them how to cook or reading them Jane Austin novels out loud.

He could feel Kori watching him, how he watched Jason and how Jason reacted with him. But she kept her distance until the party started ending and Jason was helping him into his jacket so they could leave. Jason's hands gripped his shoulders when she walked up next to them, but her smile was kind. "You two are really great together," she told them, though it didn't come off as sincere as she meant it too. She looked at Dick, her eyes a little hard. "I guess I see why you didn't want to come with me now." She kissed Dick's cheek and smiled stiffly at Jason before she went to say goodbye to Roy and Grace.

Jason was silent when they walked out of the apartment, Dick's hand in his. Dick knew that he was bothered but he didn't say anything as the split at the door to take their respective vehicles back to their apartment. Jason had taken his motorcycle, so he got home first and when Dick made it back he was sitting on the edge of the couch, still in his jacket and shoes. 

Dick frowned as he slid his jacket off and Jason finally looked up at him. "What did Kori mean?" He asked before Dick could say anything. "About you not going with her."

His heart dropped into his stomach. He never told Jason about Kori asking him to go to San Francisco with him. He'd never thought to before now. "She asked me to go to San Francisco with her," he told him after a second. "She was emotional and scared and I was there. So she asked." 

Anger was hard in Jason's eyes, something that Dick hadn't seen directed at him for some time now. "And you didn't think to tell me?" He demanded, his hands balled into fists in his lap. 

"It never came up," Dick told him a little defensively. "We were barely friends when it happened and you were so beat up about Kori that I didn't want to hurt you more-"

"What about after that?" Jason asked him. "We have been living together for almost a year, Dick. We're dating!"

"And we've talked about Kori _one_ time," Dick reminded him a little bewildered at how angry he was. He wanted to go over to him but he didn't want to risk the pain of being rejected by him. "Babe, I don't understand why you are so angry. I didn't go anywhere with her."

"But she wanted you to, Dick."

"I didn't _ask_ her to do that." 

"But she did!" Jason snapped. "And maybe she…" he stopped and looked down at his hands not wanting to complete the thought. 

"What?" Dick asked softly, not sure that he really wanted to hear it, but not knowing was almost worse. He walked over to the couch and sat next to Jason . He kept his hands in his lap but he wanted more than anything to reach out and touch him. He needed to be touched to know that they were okay. "Do you think…" the thought hit him hard. "That she wouldn't have broken up with you if I wasn't here?" He swallowed when Jason stiffened next to him, confirming that Dick was on the right track. "Would you rather she hadn't?"

"Dick…"

"Is that why you're mad?"

Jason sighed. "I'm mad because you didn't tell me," he told him in frustration. "Just like the freaking birthday party. It's like you don't know me at all!" 

That hurt. That hurt a lot. "I thought we already talked about that." 

"We did, but you obviously didn't hear me." 

"I just wanted to have a special birthday."

"I didn't _want_ one. I _told_ you I didn't want one." 

"And I apologized!" 

Jason just looked at him. He looked tired. He looked annoyed. He looked hurt and frustrated and all of it was directed at him. And Dick knew that he probably should have told him about Kori. He should have been more thoughtful and less selfish and let Jason decide for himself how that affected their friendship-- but then maybe they wouldn't be where they were now. He reached out and grabbed his hand. 

"I'm sorry," he told him. "I didn't mean to keep it from you. I should have told you right after it happened, but I didn't know how."

Jason looked at their hands for a long minute before he got up. "I'm tired, Dick," he sighed and shook his head. "Maybe you should sleep in your room tonight." 

Dick swallowed but Jason didn't notice as he walked down the hall. 

Jason slept like shit that night. He knew why he slept like shit too, but he refused to admit it. He refused to let that wild feeling in his chest go completely, though it had cooled during the night. He was tired of people making decisions for him. His birthday had brought all of those feelings back up. Tim and Jason hadn't had any choice in their birthdays. They were parties for parents as much as they were for the kids. People who they hadn't ever spoken to were at what was supposed to be their day. It reached a boiling point the birthday going into their sophomore year when a douchebag that had bullied Tim for the entire year showed up and started doing it in their own house. Jason had thrown the punch before he'd even realized he'd moved. He wished that it had been some glorious moment like on tv. It hadn't been. The kid had ducked and Jason had gotten his ass beat. On their birthday. In front of their entire family and all of their friends. They hadn't had a birthday party since. Until this one. He wished that he had said something after the party instead of letting Dick distract him. 

Maybe he wouldn't have felt so blindsided by seeing Dick with Kori. Kori who had decided their relationship was worth nothing. Who decided that he didn't have any stake in their relationship. Kori who had wanted Dick to move with her, but hadn't asked Jason. 

And Tim. He looked at his phone. Tim, who he'd never been able to stay angry with, had decided that Jason was going to marry Dick without a single word to him. 

He grabbed his phone and sent Tim a text to meet him at the bookstore when he woke up. He made waffles and set a plate in the microwave to stay warm. He scribbled an apology on a sticky note and smacked it onto the microwave door on his way out. Maybe he was overreacting. 

-

He had just finished the book he'd started at their birthday party when Tim walked in. He looked like he had just woken up. His hair was a mess and the coffee cup barely left his mouth long enough for him to breathe. 

"You okay?" he asked. 

"I'm fine. I had a late night." Tim smiled a smug little smile to himself. 

"Oh gross," he groaned. He hated that face. That face said he had been doing things he didn't want to think about his brother doing. He grabbed his phone while Tim refilled his cup with more coffee. 

**JW:** Make him stop making the face. 

**CK:** [image] 

"Ugh. He's making the face too!" Jason groaned and showed Tim the picture. Tim started laughing. 

"I saw you pawing at Dick all night last night, you sure you're not making a face too?" 

"I wasn't--" he frowned. He thought about it. Maybe he had been a little more hands on than normal. He couldn't help it. Seeing Kori and Dick talk to each other had cracked open a part of his chest he didn't like to acknowledge. It was small and desperate and just didn't want Dick to forget that he was there. Most of him also wanted Kori to see that he was happy. To pretend like she hadn't mattered, hadn't shattered a part of him. He had wanted to hurt her a little. Like she'd hurt him. Maybe he had without even knowing it. He sighed. "Did you know that Kori asked Dick to go to San Francisco with him?" 

"No," Tim replied. "Really? And he didn't?" 

Jason shot Tim a look. 

"What? I saw them together in college okay? I get to be surprised that they had the chance to get back together and he didn't take it." 

"You know that I was _dating_ her when this happened right?" 

"Jay…" 

"What?" He asked. Tim looked a little surprised by the vehemence in his voice. "I know that you fucking hated her, but I loved her okay? I did. And it fucking sucks. She was the first person I ever loved and she just discarded it like it never even mattered!" The image in his mind looked suspiciously like Tiny Tim asking for more soup. Had he really been like that, begging for scraps of her love? 

Tim was quiet for a few seconds. Jason stared at his fingers on the counter in front of him. Then Tim said quietly, "You're better off without her." 

"I know that," he snapped and looked up at him. 

"Then why are you mad?" 

"Because it still hurts," he said. He hated the way his voice cracked. "I just wanted her to love me. But she never did, did she? Even if Dick hadn't come to Gotham I still wouldn't have been enough." 

"Oh shit," Tim whispered. He looked up at him, he was blurry and then moving away. He wiped at his face and saw Tim lock the door and flip off the open light. He sniffed and wiped at his face again. 

"Ugh. What's wrong with me?" he whined. He didn't cry.

Tim slid behind the counter and wrapped his arms around him. He coughed and folded over hugging him back. "I know it hurt, but you deserve someone that loves you." 

"How do I know?" he asked, his voice thick. "I thought Kori loved me." He closed his eyes and whispered, "She said she did." 

"What do you mean? Dick loves you. That's how you know." Tim pushed back and looked at him. "You're not doubting that are you?" 

"What if I'm wrong? I was wrong about Kori. What if he should have left with her? What if he'd be happier? What if I'm just a fool following after someone else hoping that they'll love me?" 

"You're not," Tim said immediately. "Dick's like so in love with you. I don't know how you don't see it." 

"I thought Kori was too." He choked out a laugh and his chest felt tight after. "I've never felt so stupid. She let me follow her around for years. Then just leaves and asks another guy to leave with her. And Dick _knew_. He knew that and didn't say anything."

"When would he have told you?" 

"Any time?"

"Thanks for making dinner babe. Oh by the way Kori asked me to move to San Francisco with her but I said no," Tim said in a haughty voice that he was pretty sure Dick would be offended by. "Thanks for the epic blow job. You know how you hated me and had just gotten dumped. Well your ex wanted me to run away with her. Funny right?" 

"Stop," Jason groaned. 

"He didn't go with her because he didn't _want_ to. He wants to be with you. He _loves_ you." 

"Love doesn't solve every problem," Jason grumbled, that small part of him from the night before clawing at his chest again.

"No, but it sure does help motivate you to work through the ones that come up. Something else happen?" 

Jason looked at Tim. He was looking back at him and he could feel the chill of the night air as Tim said that he thought they would get married and made himself say instead, "The birthday party." 

"You told me yourself that you didn't tell him why." 

"He dragged Conner into it. You guys fought." 

"Nope," Tim chirped. "That was not Dick's fault. You don't get to blame him. Conner went along with it by choice. He said he wanted to at least throw one party for me. He never has before." Tim's eyes went guilty. 

"He still wasn't listening to me," Jason replied pushing past that moment. 

"Make him listen then. If he knows it's important to you then he will. And if he doesn't then I was wrong and I'll have Conner go beat him up for you. I'll supervise." 

He laughed and wiped at his face. "Don't tell anyone I cried," he mumbled. 

"It scared me. I've never seen you cry over anything but your books." 

-

When he got home a bowl was in the sink, leftover milk drying in it. He frowned and checked the microwave. The waffles he'd left were still there. But the note was gone. He dumped the waffles into the trash with a jerk of his hand. He stared at them in the trashcan and felt the bitter hurt from the night before swelling in his chest. He shoved it down and grabbed the loaf of bread. He made a sandwich and grabbed the last bag of chips, Dick's, and settled on the couch. He flipped through the options before picking one of the shows that Dick had been raving about. They were supposed to watch it together, but he was feeling petty. Maybe Tim was wrong.

He got three episodes in before giving up on waiting for Dick. He tossed the remote on the couch and headed to bed. He stared at the empty pillow and wondered if maybe he wasn't enough for Dick either. He slept like shit that night too. 

\---

Jason was gone by the time Dick got up the next morning without a word or a text or a note to see him off. Dick was exhausted. He hadn't slept a wink just going over their fight in his head over and over again to try and figure out where it went so wrong to no avail. The apartment smelled like waffles and Dick stuck his head in Jason's room even though he knew that he wouldn't be there. He frowned at the empty and made bed before he turned back to the kitchen and poured a bowl of cereal. 

Work sucked. His head wasn't in the game and he was distracted enough that they guy they were tailing caught wind of him and booked it. Tiger was furious and they drove back to the precinct in silence to fill out their paperwork late into the night, trying to come up with a game plan for the next day. 

He was hoping that Jason would still be awake when he got home, but of course that wouldn't have fit in with the rest of the awful day. The only light on in the apartment was the TV paused on episode three of a show he had been trying to get Jason to watch with him for a month. 

Dick stared at the TV, for the first time feeling sincerely hurt over their fight. It wasn't like Dick had _tried_ to hurt Jason. He loved him, he would never want to hurt him. But this. This was a vindictive act that Dick didn't think he truly deserved. And maybe it was stupid and small, but all of the things Dick really cared about were small things. He turned off the TV and went straight to his room, resigning himself to another sleepless night. 

-

He went to work early, deciding to use the gym there instead of facing Jason in the morning. His sleepless night had done nothing for his frayed feelings and he didn't know how to approach anything in his current state of mind. Dick wasn't an angry person. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been actually angered by someone and he didn't like it. 

He got changed and met Tiger in the bullpen. He was already standing when he approached their desks, a little of his annoyance from the day before slipping when he got a good look at Dick. "You look like shit," he told him. 

"Thanks," he grumbled and took a long drink of his coffee. "You ready to go?" He asked as he threw on his shoulder holster and jacket. 

They were tailing someone new that they hoped would lead them to their target, so they were in the car for most of the day. Dick sat silently next to Tiger, watching the safe house and the street while he talked to a witness on the phone around three he finally cracked. 

"Okay, I never thought that I would say this," Tiger sighed and looked at him. "But I think I hate the silence more than your constant talking. So what is it? What happened?" 

"It's nothing," Dick told him, his mood still sour and his heart heavy. 

"You haven't made a single pun all day. It's obviously something."

"It's nothing," he insisted again. 

Tiger just made a face and didn't talk about it again until after their shift. Dick turned him down when he offered him a drink, but Tiger wasn't really asking. He dragged him to the bar and he blinked when he saw Barbara already there and sitting at a table in the back, three beers in front of her. She hugged Dick hard and kissed Tiger before she passed her boyfriend a beer and shooed him toward the bar top. Then she pulled Dick into the booth next to her. 

Dick opened his mouth to tell her that he was fine, but she just shushed him and pushed the beer forward. They drank in silence until the first was finished, and only when they had their second in hand did she say, "Tell me about it."

Dick didn't even know where to start. He peeled at the label on his beer and sighed. "Have I ever told you about Kori?" 

"Jason's Kori?"

"She was my Kori first, but yes." He sighed. Barbara looked interested as she took a drink of her beer. "We dated in college and broke up when I moved to Bludhaven. Then her and Jay started dating-- were still dating when I moved here."

"When Jay hated you," she added for him. 

"Yeah." Dick nodded and picked at his label again. "Well, she got her dream job in San Francisco and broke up with Jason. So she was freaked out and asked me to come over and… she asked me to go with her. I said no, but I never told Jay about it and now he's mad." He looked up guiltily but Barbara looked confused. 

"But you didn't go?" 

"Obviously not," he said gesturing to the bar they were in. 

"Did you fuck her?"

"What? No!"

"Then why didn't you tell him?"

He frowned at that question. "I didn't…" he stopped and looked back at her feeling ashamed when the truth came to him. "I didn't want Jason to hate me." 

Her face went soft at that and she reached across the table. "Have you told him that?"

-

He sat in his car for almost ten minutes after he killed the engine, dreading the fight he knew would come once he got upstairs. He dragged his feet up the stairs and listened at the door for movement. It was quiet. He checked his watch seeing it was only eight and frowned when he walked in. The living room and kitchen were empty and dark, the only light coming from under Jason's door. Dick stopped in front of it, holding his hand out and knocking lightly. 

"Babe?" He asked softly through the door. He waited for a minute but there wasn't a response. "Jay, are you up?" Still nothing. He sighed and turned into his room hoping he was tired enough to just pass out. 

\---

Jason got home to the empty house, which wasn't odd, but it felt wrong. He sighed and went through his room looking for one of his hoodies before giving up and heading out. His door clicked shut behind him. 

He took the drive out to the manor the same way he always had. But the sharp turns and the roar of his engine didn't have that same thrill. His dad's car was missing and the lights were dimmed so it looked like he'd traded one empty apartment for an empty manor. He grabbed a bottle of soda and headed up to his room. He bet the hoodie in his closet here. 

"Jay?" He stuck his head out of his closet and saw his mom standing in the doorway looking concerned. 

"Oh hey," he offered. 

"What are you doing here?" 

"I was looking for this actually," he said and pulled out his _Talk Darcy to Me_ hoodie. His mom stared at him for a moment. 

"Why don't you come down and eat something, Kitten?"

Jason tossed the hoodie on his bed and followed his mom. She brushed his shoulder and looked at him. 

"Look who I found," she announced. His dad and Tim didn't look surprised in the least. Tim didn't even look up from his container of take out. He got a plate and remnants of everyone's food. "I miss this," Selina said into the sound of them eating. "You boys don't come home enough." 

"I live here," Tim pointed out. He got a pea to the face. "Hey!" 

"I know that. But you're always busy. It's nice just having you both sitting here not getting ready to run off to somewhere else." 

"Enjoy it while it lasts," Jason said. "Tim will leave us for good in a month." 

Selina made a distraught noise and his dad frowned. 

"Oh come on. I'm moving three hours away. I'm not dying." 

"He's leaving us to never return. We'll only see his face on Instagram and Christmas cards."

"Christmas cards?" Tim asked looking at Jason like he'd lost it. 

"He's not even going to send us Christmas cards," his mom wailed into his dad's shoulder. 

"We could do official family dinners. Once a month," Tim offered. "Everyone has to come." He shot Jason a look. "Maybe you guys could even come up to Metropolis every once in a while."

"Yes. Let's do that," Selina said and looked to Jason until he agreed. He tried to hide the smile at his parents' pleased expressions. 

They busted out Clue after dinner. Tim won twice much to his dad's displeasure. Jason winning the third game had Bruce declaring that he didn't want to play anymore before dumping Risk onto the table. No one pointed out how late it was getting or ask why Jason hadn't mentioned going home hours ago. His mom had his dad cornered and was cackling as he stockpiled his troops in his one remaining territory. She didn't attack him, just kept sweeping through Tim and Jason's territories with a vicious glee. When the game finally ended Tim was asleep, having lost hours ago and his mom's luck with the die had run out. His dad stood victorious and crowed a broken noise. Tim startled and hit his head on the table as he woke up. 

"Okay, maybe it's time for bed," Selina said with a smile. His dad looked a little frazzled after all of the work he'd done to come back. His mom smiled as she tucked up under his arm and told him he was getting old. Jason smiled at them as they made their way upstairs. 

"Why do you look so sad?" Tim blurted. 

"Nothing. You're the only person I know that is worse when you're sleep deprived than drunk. Come on," he said and helped him to his feet. 

"Don't be sad." Tim smacked his cheek when he dropped him into his bed. 

"Okay," he replied. Tim was asleep before Jason had even turned the lamp off. He fell face first onto his bed and pulled his hoodie up over him. He was too tired not to sleep that night. He woke up and changed into clothes that barely fit him, he stretched out his pants as he walked downstairs. 

Everyone was staring at him when he walked in. Tim's eyes were wide. His dad stood up. 

"I'll make some more pancakes." 

He sat down and looked at his family who was still staring at him. His mom pushed a plate over to him. 

"Okay. What is wrong with you guys?" 

"Nothing," Selina said and went back to her plate. Tim shrugged. He looked down at his phone. Jason could see from here it was a text thread and there wasn't anything for him to be reading that intently. 

"How's Dick?" His dad asked. Tim and Selina both turned and shot his dad a look. 

"I guess he's good. He's been working a lot more lately. He's gotten some pretty big cases," Jason replied and took a bite of pancake. Selina sighed. Her phone chimed and she looked down. 

"Oh! Tim. That was Pam. She said that you guys could have the penthouse and terrace for your bachelor party." 

Jason finished his stack just before his dad set another plate in front of him. He listened to his mom and Tim plan his and Conner's bachelor party. They were doing a joint one since most of their friends were both of their friends. And this was their third. Pam was one of his mom's college friends. She owned a hotel down by the bay. Most of the profit went to environmental clean up projects in the city and the surrounding areas. He knew what Tim was looking forward to though. There was a multilevel park that ran up the interior of the hotel. Tim had done a project on it in high school and he was obsessed, but he'd never gotten to see it before. 

When his dad left for work and his mom headed back upstairs to go back to sleep Tim caught his elbow before he could leave. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tim tugged on the front of his hoodie. 

"Yeah. I'm fine," he replied and smiled. "You wanna catch a movie tonight?" 

Tim agreed and Jason headed to work. 

-

It had been a week since Lian's birthday and he'd seen Dick once, brushing his teeth for bed. He'd offered him a smile, but Dick had made a face then went to bed. 

He had almost wanted to cancel on the bachelor party, but he wasn't going to do that to Tim. And he deserved some fun. He deserved the three shots he took as soon as they walked in the door. He deserved the beer that Bart handed him. Cassie and Stephanie challenged him to a drinking game before he was halfway through that. He lost track of the drinks he'd had. Or how many anyone else had. He was happy again, laughing at whatever story Bart was trying to tell. He didn't want to think about what Dick was doing. Or how good he'd looked when they'd met up in the living room. Or how much he missed him. He just wanted the happy. 

"Hey Jason," Conner called. Jason glanced over. Dick was sitting next to him, watching him. "Do you mind?" 

"Whatever," he replied and waved his hand. He turned back and Steph handed him another shot, giggling as Bart tripped and finished his tale with a flourish. 

\---

Dick had been hoping to get Jason alone before the bachelor party so that they could maybe talk through their issues on the ride there. Come to some kind of understanding so that they could focus on Tim and Conner and make sure that they had a good time. But no one had told his plan to the gang that they were tailing and it ended up being another late night for him. 

When he made it to the hotel, most everyone was already plastered. There was a little cheer from the group when they saw him from everyone except Gar, Tim told him that he was terrified of Dick. He accepted the hug sandwich the grooms trapped him in and Tim pulled him down the hall to show him the room that him and Jason were staying in. He left him there to settle in when there was a call to get him back out into the living room and Dick took a deep breath as he looked around. 

Jason’s bag was already empty and tucked into the closet, everything orderly and put away. It made his heart ache and the full weight of just how much he missed Jason fell onto his shoulders. They hadn’t spoken at all. Everytime that Dick was ready to try Jason wasn’t there, staying with his parents or out probably with Tim. And it was so frustrating that Dick worked more than he needed to not wanting to go back to the empty apartment alone. The only thing that was out of place was Jason’s jean jacket that had been tossed onto the bed. He kept looking at it out of the corner of his eye as he unpacked and slipped off his holster, tucking his gun into the hotel safe. Once his toiletries were in the attached bathroom and his clothes hung and folded, he sat down next to it and pulled the jacket into his lap. 

It was soft and there was a little fray on the elbow from where he leaned over the counter at the bookstore. One of the patches was coming up from a band that Jason didn’t even like-- but Bruce had given it to him so he’d put it on. He tucked his face into it, taking a deep breath so that the spiced smell of Jason could loosen the tension in his shoulders. They would be fine. He would get through tonight and then they could talk. He only had to be ‘ _on_ ’ for a few more hours. 

A shot was pushed into his hand as soon as he made it back out. And then another and a strange mixed drink that he wasn’t sure he trusted after that. Coner stole him over to the coffee table where they were playing stupid drinking games and he barely had a chance to catch Jason’s eye were he was talking to Stephanie and Bart. 

They played waterfall and kings cup and when they moved on to never have I ever it was just Tim, Conner, Dick, Gar, and Roy that were playing. Gar looked nervous when it was his turn and shot a look at Dick. “Never have I ever kissed Dick!”

Tim and Roy grumbled like it was a personal attack and took their drinks. Tim’s eyes widened at his fiancé like he was genuinely surprised that he had not cheated on him with Dick since he had arrived back in their lives. “Oh my god, _babe-_ ” he grabbed Conner’s face and made him look at him. “You have _never_ kissed Dick.” 

Conner blinked. He was a much more stable drunk than Tim. “I know that," he agreed with him, but did not question his upset. 

“That’s the saddest thing," Tim told him looking at Roy, “Isn’t that the saddest thing?” 

Roy chuckled and shrugged. His eyes were glassy when he looked at Dick. “I mean, I guess it’s kind of a shame. Dick is like the king of kissing.” 

“I’m not that good," he told them feeling weirdly self conscious with them all talking about him. He was on the verge of drunk, his head feeling just a little too hot. 

Tim shushed him. “You don’t even know,” he told him off handedly and turned back to Conner. “You _have_ to kiss Dick,” he told him, “It is important to me that you _know_.” 

Conner frowned and looked towards the kitchen. “But… Jay-” 

“Jay won’t care,” Tim told him. “It’s for the groom.” 

Conner asked anyway. And when Jason replied, “Whatever,” with a shrug and a wave of his hand-- sure Dick had been annoyed and upset at his pettiness before, but that was the first time that he was truly angry at Jason. 

So he kissed the ever loving shit out of Conner, using all of his frustration and hurt to make sure that he rocked his fucking world. He pretended it was Jason, that they had gotten to talk on the way there and they were okay again. He heard their group whoop at them and when he pulled away from Conner, everyone was cheering. He took a moment to appreciate the stars in Conner’s dazed eyes as Tim grinned and yelled, “ _See_!” in his ear before he looked over to Jason who was watching with a little fire in his eyes that matched Dick’s. 

“Okay, I’m going to bed," he told the grooms and they groaned but accepted. Stephanie shouted after him asking when it was her turn to give him a try but he just laughed it off and let the rumble of the crowd drown when the door to their room shut behind him. 

He showered and changed into his yoga pants one of Jason’s shirts that he had stolen when they first started dating. He didn’t know why he even wanted to wear it. When he packed it, he had wanted to smell him and to feel comforted by him because he was starved for his touch. But even now, even when he was fuming he still wanted to feel close to him. And that just made him more angry. 

He didn’t know how long it took for Jason to come back to their room, but he kept his back to the door as he heard it shut quietly behind Jason. Dick expected him to start getting ready for bed, go about the routine that he went crazy if he didn’t follow. But the bed shifted behind him and he was surprised when he felt a light hand on his shoulder with a little, “Dick…” 

“Don’t," he whispered glaring at the lamp in front of him. 

“Dick-”

He pushed himself up and turned to look at Jason. He was still dressed, watching Dick warily with his hand still outstretched from where he’d been touching him. The first touch he had gotten from him in over a week. His eyes were watering and his throat felt thick at the back of his tongue. 

“I get that you are mad at me,” Dick told him, keeping his voice soft to avoid it cracking. “And I know that I should have told you about Kori. But the reason that I didn’t tell you right away was because I _liked_ you. And maybe I didn’t realise it right then, but I knew that if I said something you would never speak to me again. And I’m sorry that I hurt you, I’m sorry for ruining your birthday-- but everything I did came from my love for you. And I would _never_ hurt you on purpose like you did to me today.” His lip was trembling but he blinked past his blurry vision and managed to keep the glare on his face. “You don’t get to let people kiss me. I am your _boyfriend_ . Even when we are fighting, I am your boyfriend. If someone asks you to kiss me, you have to think about it, and at least _pretend_ that it bothered you.” 

"It did," Jason whispered. "I don't want anyone else kissing you." 

"You said _whatever,"_ Dick replied, his voice broke. Jason brushed a stray tear off Dick's cheek. 

"I didn't know what he'd asked." Dick shot him a look. "Really. I wasn't listening. I was trying to forget how much I missed you." He kissed Dick's shoulder. "It didn't work." 

"I miss you too," Dick said. Jason leaned forward and was relieved when Dick didn't push him away but closed the distance between them. He melted against Dick as they kissed. All of the tension and hurt eased away as they came together. 

"I want you," he mumbled. 

"You have me," Dick told him. 

Jason smiled and kissed him. "I do," he said. "But I _want_ you." He ran his hand down the front of Dick's pajamas. "Hey, that's my shirt," he said looking down at it. 

"I told you I missed you," Dick replied looking sheepish for a moment before he kissed Jason hard. Jason grabbed Dick's shoulder and rolled so that he was on top of him. He liked having the warmth and the weight of him holding him down. Dick shifted so he was more comfortable between Jason's legs and kissed him softly. "I can't sleep without you anymore," Dick whispered as he pushed Jason's hoodie over his head. "My bed's too big." 

"I kept waiting for you to come to bed. I'd wake up every few hours expecting to find you crawling in after your shift." Dick's fingers trailed down his chest, his mouth following behind them. "I thought you were going to leave me," he whispered. Dick's head shot up as he looked at him. 

"What?" 

"I know I'm an asshole. I thought maybe you decided I wasn't worth the effort anymore." He swallowed. "You're not bored with me?" he asked as he looked up at Dick. 

"No. Never," Dick said. "You're worth every effort." 

"I wasn't." He covered his face. "I _wasn't_ and it felt like it was happening all over again. I thought you'd leave me too." 

Dick pulled his hands away and kissed both of his cheeks. Jason looked up at him through tears he didn't want to be there. Dick caught his hands before he could cover his face again. "You are infuriating. And you're stuck with me," Dick said and kissed him again. Jason whined into the embrace, he held onto Dick's arms and pulled him closer. His chest ached when Dick turned to kiss his cheek, then again. He sucked in a breath. 

"I'd rather have you stuck _in_ me," he replied trying to get himself back under control. His voice cracked and wobbled and he hated it, but Dick laughed. Then the words seemed to sink in and his smile froze. 

"Wait. Really?" 

"Yeah," he breathed. "I want to feel how much you love me." 

Dick smirked and Jason swat him. His hand was caught before he made contact. Dick kissed his palm and pushed it back against the pillow. He met the blue eyes searching his face. Dick touched his temple and kissed him softly. He relaxed as the touches moved and the kisses spread across his skin. He let Dick push away the doubts and the fears. He let that small little burst of sunlight in his chest expand as Dick pushed two fingers in. He let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. Dick kissed his thigh and moved his fingers. He felt the steady slide and push. His breath caught in the rhythm of it. Every spark running up his spine ignited the light within him. Dick's lips wrapped around his head as the third finger pushed in. His fingers tightened in Dick's hair in shock as his entire body tightened and his orgasm flew through him. Dick made a startled noise. 

He whimpered when Dick's fingers slid out and shook his head. "You okay?" Dick asked, his breath ghosted across his face. Jason opened his eyes to concern clear on Dick's face. 

"I need you. Please." 

"Are you sure?" Dick asked. 

"Please," he repeated and met Dick's eyes. Dick kissed his knee as he pushed his legs wider. He looked down and swallowed. "Jay," Dick called softly. He looked up. Dick's eyes were dark and locked on him. He couldn't look away even as he felt the solid press against him. His entire body was still on fire, but he felt nothing but full when Dick finally stopped moving and just breathed against his neck. 

"Oh fuck Jay," Dick moaned. "You feel so good. I'm not go- fuck." Jason shifted his leg higher and Dick slid in further. "You really-" Dick cut himself off and slid out an inch then pushed back in. Jason hummed. His legs trembled as he held them up, Dick's hips slamming into him. He heard small noises and realized they were coming from him. Dick pulled him into a kiss as his hips started to lose their rhythm. He cried out as Dick came. His legs wrapped around him and he pulled Dick against his chest. Dick pressed kisses to his neck and chest until Jason couldn't hold on any longer. Then he simply moved so he was laying more comfortably, their legs intertwined, and rested his head on his shoulder. Jason breathed and relished the weight on him. The warmth that had been missing for a week.

"I love you," he sighed. 

"I love you too." Jason let those words wash over him, then like gold in ceramic, let them fill in the cracks, that he realized had been there a lot longer than he thought. 

"You really do," he said. 

Dick turned his head so he was looking at him. "Talk to me," he said. "What's going on in here? It's obviously more than I think it is." Dick touched his forehead.

Jason caught his hand and turned it so he could look at his palm. He ran a finger over the lines and thought about what he wanted to say. "I think it is. It did start as my birthday." He held Dick's hand. "Our birthday never was about us growing up. It was the party. So we stopped having the party and it became a day that we could spend with the people that matter most. I should have told you why. I know that. I'm sorry I didn't." He kissed Dick's wrist. 

"But-" Jason swallowed. "Then it became about a conversation Tim and I had. It uh-- freaked me out a little bit. Then Kori was there." He closed his eyes. "I didn't realize how much she hurt me until I saw her again. And how different it was being around her." He let out a breath. He could feel Dick watching him, waiting for him to continue. "I realized she never loved me, because I know what that feels like now." He turned and looked at Dick. He got a small smile back. He bit his lip. "That sucked to realize. I think I latched on to the wrong hurt. Cause it was easier to be mad at you, than myself for letting her...I don't know, _use_ me?

"But I kept circling back to one thing." Jason ran his fingers up and down Dick's finger.

"What?" Dick prompted when Jason had been quiet for too long. 

"I never wanted to marry Kori. It scared me to even think about. I thought that was normal. That you're supposed to be scared you know? But Tim- God he's an idiot." He laughed. "He pushed back his wedding because he wanted me and him to get married at the same time. He thought that we'd get married." He looked over to Dick. "And it didn't scare me. I was actually a little freaked out by how much it didn't scare me, if that even makes any sense." He sighed. "I just felt like you were kind of it for me. I know we haven't been together long, but I know that I want to marry you." He turned and looked at Dick. 

"Then let's get married." 

The sentence surprised Dick as much as it did Jason, but it was out there before he could even think about clamping down on it. Jason blinked at him, his expression stuck between amusement and panic. Like any second Dick would say that he was joking and that would be it-- or he would actually follow through. And what if he did? What if he was? What if Jason actually agreed to marry him right then and there and they got to be together like this forever? He couldn't think of a single con for the other side of his mental list. 

"Dick-"

"Hear me out," Dick said sitting up, feeling that somehow laying down would take away the sincerity of what he wanted to say. Jason sat up too, watching him like he was a tiger free from his cage, waiting for him to reach out and strike him. "We love each other," Dick started and Jason rolled his eyes. Dick grabbed his hand to make him look at him. "Just _listen_ okay?" He begged him. "I'll let you talk, but let me get this out." 

Jason looked like he was two seconds away from being upset with him again but he clamped down on it and nodded. 

"We love each other," Dick said again and almost laughed. "I have dated dozens of people. Like so many-"

"Do you want me to listen or…"

"Right, yeah, sorry." He shook it off. "But my point is, I have felt a hundred different loves in my life." Jason made a face at that but Dick just folded his legs so that he could really face him, taking Jason's hand in both of his own. "Some of them I barely noticed until they were there or until they were gone. Some of them hurt, I thought they had hurt so bad at the time-- but never in my life have I felt the pain I had just not talking to you for a week." Jason was biting his lip now. 

"Baby, I love you so much. You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about when I go to bed. I have been with tons of people, so believe me when I say that you make me feel more like me than any other person ever has. And I would read Animal Farm a thousand times if that meant I could be with you forever! Because you make feeling and loving and being-- just everything worth it, Jay. So let's just do it. I can't say it'll be perfect, but if you marry me I promise it'll be _worth_ it."

He felt out of breath when he finished looking between Jason's eyes as he pressed his lips into his knuckles. 

"Okay," Dick breathed. "Your turn."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah. I really have nothing to put here. I feel like this chapter says everything that needs to be said and hopefully you agree. I would apologize for leaving you on a cliff hanger-- but I'm also not _that_ sorry. 
> 
> Love you BB's and we'll you next week for the conclusion!


	11. Epilogue

Dick leaned against him as they waited in the hotel lobby. He kissed his hair and checked his phone. 

"You are looking more and more like Dad every year," Tim said from beside him. "Always checking the time." 

"Too loud," Conner complained. Tim smiled indulgently at him. 

"He's so hungover," Tim told them. 

"He shouldn't have done all of those green shots. Stephanie didn't even know what she put in them," Dick said. 

"But they tasted good. I didn't think they'd betray me," Conner said. He leaned heavily on Tim who just kept smiling as he looked at him. "Are we eating? I need  _ all _ of the bacon." 

"We're waiting for a table," Dick offered in a louder than necessary voice. Conner groaned and slumped against Tim's shoulder. 

"You two made up," Tim commented. He looked happy and relieved. Jason just shrugged. 

"We were fighting?" Dick asked with feigned innocence. "Why didn't you tell me babe? We could have had awesomely angry argument sex."

"He was too sad," Tim offered before Jason could reply. It was probably for the best, he didn't know what he would have said. But it probably would have been embarrassing. "He came home and cuddled in that awful Darcy hoodie." Tim smiled and in a high voice that Jason always resented, " _ Why doesn't anyone love me like Mr. Darcy?"  _

Dick laughed and squeezed his hand. He smiled down at him as Dick said, "I love you most ardently babe. Most. Ardently." He punctuated his words with kisses. 

"Wow. I kind of wish you were fighting again," Tim said flatly. 

"I think you're just jealous," Jason replied. 

"Hey. I made him a scavenger hunt," Conner chimed in, though most of it was muffled since he didn't bother moving his mouth away from Tim's shoulder. 

Tim's eyes lit up and he nodded. "It took me the whole day."

"I don't want a scavenger hunt," Jason told Dick when he saw his eyes start to drift into thought.

"Mr. Wayne?" the hostess called. 

"Ah, our table," Dick said and pulled Jason after him. 

He listened to Conner ask Tim if he thought they would give him a dinner plate with bacon. He smiled and rubbed Dick's thigh as he watched Tim reassure Conner that they could just order ten sides and that he was sure they would put it on a big plate for him. Conner pouted and leaned against Tim's shoulder.

"You're going to be married in two weeks," Jason said. Tim stopped mid-sentence and it dragged them out of their own little bubble. 

"Hopefully," Conner replied. 

"We will be," Tim corrected and held Conner's hand. "You nervous for your best man speech?" 

"Nah. I got it. I met this kid twenty some odd years ago, and my life has only gotten worse since." Tim snorted. "We've always done everything together. Blah blah. Tell some funny story. Then get real. Say something like how I was afraid I'd lose my brother, but now I'm just gaining another. A cooler, funnier, less annoying brother."

"I am pretty cool," Conner said with a grin. Tim frowned at him, but didn't seem to disapprove of the speech. 

Jason grabbed his orange juice. 

"What is that?" 

"Juice?" he replied and looked at Dick. He liked the anticipation in his eyes. 

"No. On your hand. Is that a mood ring?" 

"Isn't it cool? We got them last night. This lady was selling all kinds of them." Dick held out his left hand to show Tim his.

"Are those wedding rings?" Conner whispered, his eyes flicked from Dick's hand to Jason's. 

Jason watched as Tim's mind shut down. He kept his face blank. Tim looked at the rings, then Dick's obvious excitement. When he looked at Jason he saw him realize that they weren't messing with them. 

"You fucking got married?!" Tim shouted. "How?" Conner rubbed Tim's back, wincing as he hushed him. 

"In a church, duh," Dick replied. Jason snickered. 

"One of those 24 hour chapels down off the pier," Jason added. 

"You got married," Tim repeated. 

"Now we'll both be married," he added. Tim's eyes flicked up to his. He smiled and tilted his head. He watched the pleased smile as Tim rubbed his thumb over Conner's hand. 

"Your wedding rings are mood rings?" Conner said. "You're a billionaire. You couldn't have splurged a little?" 

"I like my ring thank you very much," Dick said. "You see this color? That means Jason loves me."

"All of the colors mean that," Jason added. Dick beamed up at him. 

"Conner, make them stop," Tim groaned. "Wait. You got married. Does mom know?" 

"You're the first people we've told," Jason said. 

"Other than that pizza guy and the old lady on the subway," Dick added. Jason smiled. Dick had blurted it out into the empty subway car on their way back to the hotel. The lady had grunted and went back to staring out the window. The pizza guy had at least said congratulations. 

"Are you going to tell her?" 

"No? She's already so stressed with your wedding. I figured that I'd wait?" 

"Oh God," Tim said with wide eyes.

"Yeah," Jason agreed. 

"She's going to murder you." 

"Dad's going to cry," Jason added. 

"You're married," Tim said again.

"I am," Jason agreed. Dick held his hand. He caught the glint of the dark blue of his ring and smiled. 

"Congratulations!" Jason looked over to Conner who was smiling at them. "I have been rooting for you two since Jason drunkenly asked me how I knew I liked Tim which was a not so subtle reference to being attracted to guys." 

"This bro before that bro!" Jason whined. 

"You're married," Conner replied. "and I choose that bro," he added pointing to Tim who smiled. 

Tim made them tell them the entire story. He went through every detail and Dick added a few. By the end of breakfast they'd gone over pretty much everything they could think of. They got back up to the room and the rest of the group was lounging around. None of them noticed the rings on their fingers, but Jason's eyes kept coming back to that swirl of color on Dick's hand.

-

"Are you going to carry me over the threshold?" Dick asked. 

"Do you want me to?" 

Dick grinned and Jason picked him up in a fireman's carry. He laughed as Dick whined about him doing it wrong. He dumped him on the couch and kicked off his shoes before falling after him. 

"Home sweet home, husband."

Dick smiled a liquid smile up at him. He kissed him and didn't pull away until Dick yawned against his mouth. Jason laughed and laid down on Dick's chest. "Let's go to bed," Jason said. "I could sleep for a week. Then in the morning we can continue this."

"Promise?" 

Jason pushed up and grabbed Dick's hand. "C'mon. I want to sleep in our bed again." 

Falling asleep with Dick curled around him, in their home with their neighbor's music filtering down like it always did took no time. Between one breath and the next he was out. 

\---

"She won't notice," Jason said. 

"She will. She has like a radar for ugly jewelry." 

"I'm not taking my ring off," Jason said. "And it's not ugly."

"You're wearing the gloves then," Tim said and threw a pair of white gloves at him. "Now Bart has to wear them too." 

"I'll go give them to him," he said. Tim nodded, though he didn't look like he was really taking anything in. 

He knocked and Bart opened the door door. He handed him the gloves. "Wardrobe change. How's he doing?" Conner was laying on the bed staring at the ceiling. He'd been doing that the last two times he'd checked on him. 

"Hasn't said anything for the last hour. He keeps rereading his vows. How's Tim?" 

"He's cleaned the room twice and refuses to even look at his suit." 

"They have been waiting for this for a few years now." 

"Good luck Conner!" he called. Conner just lifted his hand. 

His mom was in the room with Tim, prying a wadded up ball of paper towel from his hand. "Why is he not dressed yet?" she asked Jason as soon as the door shut behind him. 

"I don't want to ruin my suit," Tim replied for him. "It'll take five minutes." 

Selina sighed. "Get dressed." 

"How is he?" Tim asked as he pulled on his pants. 

"He's the same as the last time you asked me." It was amusing how much the night before had affected the two of them. Conner had stayed at his and Dick's. They had been in a long distance relationship for the last two years and yet this one night had been a disaster. Conner had just said that it was weird being in Gotham and not being with Tim. Selina hurried Tim into his suit, then fussed over his hair. When Tim finally got tired and asked her to stop with a broken word she stepped back. 

"I can't believe my baby is getting married," she said. Her eyes were watery as she looked at Tim. Jason's eyes met Tim's over her shoulder. He frowned at him. He answered the knock at the door. 

"Five minutes," the planner said. He thanked her and shut the door. 

"Okay. This is going to be great," he said. "Easiest thing you've ever done. Walk down that aisle. Say I do. Bam. Conner is your husband." 

Tim laughed. Selina was rolling her eyes. "Okay. I'm ready." 

They walked down the hall and into another waiting room. He took his mom's arm after she kissed Tim on the cheek and told him how proud she was. The music started and they were summoned. He walked down the aisle with his mom, then waited for her to sit. Then watched Bart and Martha walk down the aisle together. Bart nudged him when he stepped up next to him. He looked across the crowd to see the doors open and Conner and Tim step out to each other. Conner's hand was shaking when he reached out to Tim. He watched his brother smile like he'd never seen before and wipe a tear off of Conner's cheek. The wedding planner must have said something because Conner laughed through the tears in his eyes and they turned for their walk down the aisle. 

Jason watched them for the first few rows then felt eyes on him. He looked down and Dick was smiling at him. He smiled back. While he loved their wedding, him in his Darcy hoodie and jeans and Dick in yoga pants and one of Jason's jackets standing in a nearly empty chapel the size of their living room, he wouldn't mind doing this. Their wedding would always be just for them, but part of him wanted everyone to see, wanted to stand in front of their friends and family and declare how much he loved the man standing across from him. 

-

"So when should we be expecting a proposal from you?" Selina poked after her third glass of champagne. Jason had been pulled into a conversation with his father and one of his business associates as they waited for Conner and Tim to finish their pictures, leaving Dick alone with the beast. He tried for a laugh but it sounded a little hysterical and he kept his hand fisted in his pocket. Fortunately that was all Selina needed. "Come on!" She shook him. "You can tell me. I know that you are the one who's going to do it."

"Do what?" Jason asked coming to his rescue, Bruce was still trying to exit the conversation. 

"I am just saying-" she said exaggerately in her buzz. She put her arm around Dick and pulled him against her like she was protecting him. "Between the two of you, Dick is more likely to propose!" 

"Mom…" Jason groaned giving nothing away while Dick did everything he could to keep his eyes from darting down to Jason's gloved hands. 

"Am I wrong?" She demanded, but was distracted when Bruce called her over to help him out if the corner he was backed into. 

Jason took her spot and they watched her walk over to help Bruce before Dick dropped his head onto his shoulder. "I'm going to crack."

Jason snorted. "No. You won't."

"I will," he threatened. He looked up at him in complete misery. "You know I suck at lying."

Jason put his arm over Dick's shoulder and gave him a squeeze. "Just stay close to me and if it comes up, let me talk. We can tell them we eloped after Con and Tim are nicely tucked away in Hawaii." He kissed the top of Dick's head and he let out a sigh of content misery before he agreed. 

And it did come up. Alot. Family friends and distant relatives all wanted to know when Jason was going to tie the knot. It was all that Dick could do to stand silently next to Jason and sip on his drink. When Conner and Tim finally made their way back around to them, Tim was riding a buzz worse than his mother, having not eaten all day and practically screamed, "So did you tell them?" Conner clamped a hand over his mouth and Tim had to a pry it off, "What?" He demanded to his husband. "You do the stupid thing, I get to watch you tell mom." 

"Not on your wedding day," Jason said looking over his shoulder just in case their parents were in earshot. 

"But if you wait I won't get to see," Tim whined. 

"Then you don't see."

Tim glared at him. "Why did you even get married if you don't want to tell anyone?"

"Excuse me?"

It felt like they were moving in slow motion as they turned to look at Bruce who had dropped the champagne he was holding. People were staring as he stepped over the mess and closed their circle. He fixed Jason with a heavy gaze as he demanded, "You got married?"

Dick had expected Jason to deny it but he just looked at his father and put an arm over Dick's shoulders. "Yup."

Bruce looked exasperated between the two of them. "And were you ever going to tell us?"

"Eventually, sure." Jason shrugged. Bruce didn't even know what to say to that. 

"What are we all whispering about?" Selina asked breaking into the circle. She had crossed the line from buzzed to drunk and Conner looked nervously between them all just waiting for something to erupt. 

But Bruce didn't tell her. "Nothing dear," he told her and pointed her shoulders towards a group from WE, "I don't think we've said hello to Harry yet." She took the bait immediately rushing over. He turned back to Jason. "We'll talk about this tomorrow," he warned him and sighed before he followed his wife. 

And it seemed like he kept their secret as the night went on and Selina became more and more weepy. She got all misty every time she looked at Tim and when he and Conner drove away she all but burst into tears. 

Jason pulled Dick to the car before his dad could change his mind about not telling Selina. He took his gloves off as soon as they got in the car and Dick reached across the center console to grab his hand and pull it to his lips. He kissed his mood ring which was in between green and yellow. He frown slightly but kept his mouth shut, letting him have his own feelings before they got home and he wouldn't be able to help but ask. But Jason spoke up before then. 

"You know she's going to want a big wedding. Like with the flowers and the tent and the catering." He was frowning when he said it but he didn't look wholey unhappy at the prospect. 

"Do you want to have a wedding?" Dick asked trying to sound casual. He kept his eyes on the road. 

It took a minute for him to answer. "Yeah, I think I do." 

Dick smiled but clamped it down quickly. "Okay. Then let's have a wedding," he said simply and almost swerved off the road when Jason kissed him hard on the cheek. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just like that, we have reached the end. Bitter sweet, but mostly sweet. 
> 
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> 
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**Author's Note:**

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